


How It Happened

by AzureFangirl



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers Tower, Badass Reader, Big Sister Natasha Romanov, Canon-Typical Violence, Eventual Fluff, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/M, Hate to Love, Natasha Romanov Is a Good Bro, Natasha also plays Cupid, Slow Burn, Smut from Chapter 22, Steve Rogers Has Issues, Tony Stark Plays Cupid, avenger!reader
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2020-10-06 15:04:41
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 23
Words: 118,032
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20508995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AzureFangirl/pseuds/AzureFangirl
Summary: You are rescued from the Red Room before your training ends and on request of Natasha, join the Avengers. You happen to have magic powers and seem to fit in well with everyone. Except for Steve Rogers that is.~"He's looking at you."Natasha's words made you raise an eyebrow and you turned your head in the direction of her gaze. He stood leaning against the bar, blue eyes shining and blond hair slicked back flawlessly."I don't think I'm his type Nat." You said, rolling your eyes."What makes you say that?""For starters, I'm not part of the Carter family tree."





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Steve rogers has my heart always, and I really wanted to write a story about an unapologetic and badass reader. The story is set sometime after Age of Ultron and will eventually have canon divergence. I have also taken the liberty of making Steve a bit younger, he’s around 28 at the beginning.  
Comments, constructive criticism and kudos are always appreciated.

Precision. Stoicism. Perfection. Fear. These words had been a constant in your life since you had been taken. Your childhood in the Carpathian mountains seemed like a distant dream. Every part of your past seemed so full, so real. You missed the green of the trees, the endless blue of the sky, the sharp fresh air, the harsh snow. Your life now was grey. Grey with splashes of crimson. 

Rumours had spread of a girl being able to perform magic, and had reached the Red Room. Acting quick, they had extracted you from your family, killing them in front of you so that you would not think of escaping. You had been twelve. Removed from your technicolour life, the time of grey had begun. They trained you hard, broke you down completely to reattach you and do it again the next day. 

You had been fourteen when you found your comfort, Natasha was been much older and the one who immediately stepped up for you. As harsh as your environment was, having Natasha around had made it easier, she would be there to fix your form, teach you a better move, hold you when you cried missing your home. Then she had left. The instructor had decided you would become her new Natasha, so they trained you even harder. You were their perfect deadly machine, and they thought they had you completely brainwashed. It would have been true, but every night you dreamt of your mountains and the chance to run free, feel the grass underneath your feet and it kept you anchored. 

A part of you enjoyed your training, the order, your flawless movements, the graceful poise as you danced. You knew you would soon go through your graduation, your instructor did not fail bringing it up with sick enthusiasm, her new favourite prodigy finally coming into her own. 

You would stare at your ceiling, the mountains seemed to fade away more every night, and you felt hollow. It had been nine years since you were taken, the world had gone to hell and back and you would have to accept that this would be your fate. Until she came back, your red haired guardian angel. It had been a reckoning. Bullets everywhere as bodies dropped to the ground, and you remembered smiling as your instructor fell, a bullet between her eyes. Natasha had extended her hand and you took it without question. 

You now sat in some safe house or the other, across the table from Natasha as she spoke about what you had missed. She had saved millions with this group of heroes called the Avengers. It seemed a bit surreal, but you were proud of her for emerging as a better person. You leaned back in your seat, sipping the coffee in front of you as Natasha continued to speak. 

"Now that you are out, you have a choice (Y/n). I'll give you enough money to survive the month and drop you in whatever country you want with a new identity. Or, you could come back with me and join my team." Her eyes were imploring as she finished speaking, it was clear she wanted you to choose the latter. 

Her words left you surprised as you sat up straight, taking in her unflinching expression. She was being serious. You debated the consequences. As tempting as the former seemed, a big part of you wanted to be with Natasha. She was the only family you had. Still, joining the Avengers seemed a little too heroic for your taste, it seemed unlikely you would mesh well with this group. Seeing your furrowed brows, Natasha leaned forward, covering your hand with hers. "Please. We need you." 

That was enough. You met her gaze and nodded. It was decided, you would go with Natasha. 

~

The flight had been uneventful, you had travelled in a private plane owned by Tony Stark, who was also Iron Man. Natasha had briefed you in about the members of your to be team, and you had made sure to memorise as much as possible. The shocker was when Natasha had informed you that the Red Room had put you on suppressants. Apparently your magic made you too powerful, and so they had mixed in strong sedating formulas into every meal of yours to keep it under control. Keep you under control. Since you were now off them, your magic would surge. As jarring as it all seemed, you slept like the dead on that flight, finally at ease after years of facing a storm.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Im feeling pretty inspired hence the quick update, pray it stays this way. A special thanks to my friend T whose been a massive help for establishing the plot. Enjoy guys!

“You never mentioned anything about an audition!" You screeched almost incredulously at Natasha, wanting nothing more than to aim a pillow at her face. 

She stood with a sheepish expression in the hotel room, it had been all of nine hours since you landed and she had not bothered to tell you that you would be going to the Avengers Compound, appearing in front of the whole group and displaying your powers. It reminded you too much of a middle school talent show and you were less than pleased in auditioning to be part of their star-spangled hero team. Still, you had given your word to Natasha, and that was something you would die before breaking. Tony Stark would be sending transport and you had to get ready, which posed to be a dilemma since you did not exactly have time to pack before you escaped the Red Room. For now, you made do with borrowing one of Natasha's bodysuits. It fit you well enough, the only thing bothering you was the high collar, it irritated your neck. “You wouldn't happen to have a pair of scissors would you?”

Natasha raised an eyebrow but handed you one. Bunching up the fabric, you started to cut the shirt until you were satisfied. Now you had a more rounded neckline which was easier to navigate. Nodding at Natasha to indicate you were ready, you started to take deep breaths. Noticing your apprehension, she walked over to you, sending an understanding smile, “Don't worry. They aren't half as bad as they sound. You'll do great."

Not like you had a choice really. You did not allow yourself to think of the alternative, what would happen if you did not make the cut? Not that you were sure what would happen if you did make the cut. Would you be on standby till some maniac surfaced with delusions of grandeur and the need to take over the world? Where would you live? How would you earn money exactly? Your thoughts were cut off by Natasha telling you that you were ready to go, and you followed her out the room down to the awaiting vehicle. Most of the journey there was spent with Natasha explaining the dynamics of the team, and how Tony and Steve Rogers were the unofficial leaders of sorts, but more so Steve.

It seemed very intriguing, especially since part of your training had instilled in your brain that you worked alone, and that having partners was a waste of time and power. You knew you would have to make a conscious effort to be friendly, or at least not hostile. After what seemed like forever, you pulled up in front of the compound. It was an impressive structure, and you followed Natasha out the car towards the building. Once inside you took in your surroundings, and you followed Natasha to what seemed to be a training room of sorts. It was massive, with floor to ceiling windows letting in the light and stairs leading up to a room with glass walls that overlooked the whole training floor. “Wait here.” Natasha advised and you nodded, watching her leave the room.

Now that you were alone, you walked towards the window, looking out at the lawn and aircraft pad. The sight of grass made you smile, reminding you a bit of home. Not knowing how long it would take Natasha, you decided to warm up a bit. Walking to the middle of the room, you took a deep breath and started to stretch. Closing your eyes, you stood on pointe and started performing Odile's routine from Swan Lake. It had been one of the most difficult, and thus a favourite of the Red Room. You knew every step by heart and you were just about to get to the part with thirty two fouettés when you heard people coming in. You turned, hair flipping as you saw Natasha along with a group of people. You stood where you were, watching them walk towards you and you started to observe them. There was Tony Stark whom you recognised from pictures, and next to him was Captain America. 

You would be lying to yourself if you said he was not an attractive man, he looked like a blond Adonis to be honest. His blue shirt stuck to him like second skin, showing off every single muscle on his toned torso, his jeans form hugging. Forcing your eyes to move on you saw another woman, with red hair and next to her seemed to be a floating red robot. There was also another man in a suit with wings, which seemed a bit excessive to you since nobody else was in their suits. “This is (Y/N) everyone." said Natasha and you sent everyone a nod. 

Steve had not been very keen at the idea of a new recruit, Tony had been more in agreement with Natasha. Even now as he walked to the training room with everyone he was muttering about how it would be a bad idea. Walking inside, he saw a figure in black and as it turned his eyes widened. (H/C) locks flipped perfectly as you came into sight. His complaints died in his throat, seeing you in that bodysuit, he was suddenly aware of how gorgeous you were. Natasha did not exactly say much about you, and now he could not stop staring. 

You were acutely aware of the captain's eyes on you, his steel blue gaze was discerning. You turned to Natasha who sent you a supportive smile before Tony started to speak, “Welcome to the Avengers Compound (Y/N). I am Tony Stark. This is some of the team, Steve Rogers, Sam Wilson, Wanda Maximoff and Vision." 

He would have continued but Steve cut him off, “You’ll be showing us your abilities so we can see if you can make it into our team." He tried to keep his tone serious, his expression neutral to make up for the former gawking. 

All it managed to do was make you annoyed, he seemed so arrogant, while Tony was making such an effort to be friendly. Tony pressed a button on a screen and the ground opened up, a table of various weapons emerging as well as a line of dummy targets. This was your element, and no condescending super soldier could intimidate you. You could feel your magic coursing through your veins, more potent than ever. “You all should head upstairs. For your safety.” 

Your tone was cool, it made Steve raise an eyebrow as the group headed up the stairs. You waited for them to situate themselves in front of the glass, and upon Natasha's nod you started. Walking to the weapons table, you picked up a dagger, and threw it at a target. Satisfied when it landed between its forehead, you picked up another and threw. It hit dead centre of the targets chest now. You spared a glance to your audience, Tony and the others seemed somewhat impressed, Natasha looking on proud. The only person who looked bored was the captain and you rolled your eyes, picking up a bow. Following the same routine as with the first target, you fired two shots. One in the forehead and one in the chest. Putting down your weapon, you smiled. Now was the time for real fun. 

You formed a fireball in your hand, and sent it hurtling, incinerating a target. Another you crushed with the clench of your wrist. One you made levitate, blue mist circling it before ripping apart its limbs. For the last one, you took a minute to think before picking up a small sword and throwing it. It clattered to the ground, target decapitated and you turned back to look up at the group. Natasha was beaming, the others looked impressed and the captain finally looked somewhat interested. 

Your attitude, almost indifference seemed to validate his suspicions, that you would not be compassionate enough to be a hero. You were stunning yes, but you seemed to fit the stereotype of cold heartless assassin too much for Steve's liking. He watched you throw the daggers, and while the others seem impressed, he was not. The group did not need a contract killer. When you formed the fireball, that was when he started paying attention. He watched with wide eyes as you destroyed the targets, you were strong, very strong. It made sense to have you on the team. Not that he would have much of a choice anymore, everyone else was thoroughly impressed and clearly wanted you to join.

Everyone made their way down to you, and you were surrounded. “How do you do that? Your magic?" asked Wanda, her accent thick. 

Sending her a smile you started to speak, “Its been this way since I was born. I think I inherited it from my grandmother. Everyone thought she was a witch back where I lived. I don't know its full extent yet. I know the mist is blue for most positive emotions, it turns black for negative ones." 

Turning to Tony, you asked, “So, did I make the cut?”

His expression was unreadable, and it made you panic for a moment though you did not show it. Suddenly he broke out into a smile, “Congratulations! Welcome to the team!"

Natasha enveloped you in a hug and everyone around you was smiling, except for Steve. His expression remained stoic and it made you want to roll your eyes. It was clear he did not like you, and you seemed to return the favour. 

You started to follow the group out when Steve suddenly spoke, “I have to check up something in the lab, I'll see you guys later.”

Without another word, he walked off, Sam hesitating before following him. Natasha's brows furrowed, Steve was acting weird. Still, she shrugged it off and led you to a living room of sorts. You saw her sit down at an armchair, Wanda making herself comfortable on a couch with Vision next to her. Tony gestured for you to sit down, which you did on a spare chair. “Now that you are part of the team, you'll be living with us at the Stark Tower. You'll get a whole wing to yourself, so space should not be a problem. As for clothes, basic needs, all that jazz, Stark industries sponsors new recruits, so we got you covered.”

Tony's words made you smile, you were genuinely grateful as you sent him a smile, “Thank you. For giving me a chance." 

“Dont worry about it kid. We look out for each other. Now can we all reconvene back at the tower and get her settled in? I have some business to handle.” said Tony before walking out the room, already on call with someone.

Steve was pacing a hallway when Sam caught up to him. “What was that back there?" he asked the soldier who let out a sigh. 

“I dont know Sam, I don't like the look of her." Replied Steve, causing Sam to smirk.

“You sure there Cap, because you seemed to be liking the look of her for quite a while. Don't think I didn't notice." 

Steve rolled his eyes at Sam's words, hoping to keep a stoic expression as he spoke, “Thats not what I mean. I don't exactly trust her.”

“You need to chill out, or at least stop being so paranoid. Give her the benefit of the doubt, she seems nice enough, even if she isn't exactly the most friendly.”

Steve was about to reply when he heard his phone beep, and checked it to see a text from Tony stating that you would be living at the Stark Tower now, and that everyone was heading there. That meant you would be living in the same building as him, if not the same floor. He let out an audible groan, this was going to be difficult. A part of him held doubts about you and your integrity, the other was screaming to get you alone. He did not think he would get through this successfully.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thrive on your comments and kudos, do let me know what you think of the story etc. see you next update lovelies!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends enjoy this chapter, yes vision is a dumb cutie and steve's just dumb period.  
Pls keep validating me with comments and kudos

Looking up at Stark Tower, there was only one word that came to your mind- excessive. The glass reflected the setting sun and you walked in, Natasha, Wanda and Vision in tow, except Vision was now a blond man, not a floating red robot thing. Up the elevator, Wanda and Vision got off on the tenth floor, and Natasha pressed the button for the twelfth. “My room is just on the other side." She said as you both walked off, now standing in a wide hallway. 

She turned to the left, opening the mahogany door and walking inside, gesturing for you to follow. You were standing in a study, with a large desk, as well as a wall lined with shelves of books, both mahogany. Walking further, you saw another door which you opened to see your bedroom. The walls were ash grey, with mahogany furniture. There was a fairly large bed, a small couch and a dresser. The dresser had a phone and a laptop on it, which you assumed was for you. The closet was bare, as expected and the bathroom had a tub. You smiled, it was a huge improvement from your cell in the Red Room, it was yours. “We should probably buy you some clothes, you can't walk around in a catsuit all day, no matter how good it looks on you." 

Natasha's words made you chuckle and you nodded, following her to her wing, which was identical, except her walls were mint green. She handed you a sweatshirt and a pair of jeans to change into for the time being, which you did. She changed into similar attire, and you headed back downstairs with her. “We'll just head to a few shops, get you everything you'll need. Tony likes us to have dinner together, it helps create a bond between the team." 

You both walked out onto the busy street, armed with one of Tony's multiple credit cards. Natasha kept talking to you, pointing to one attraction or the other. You reached your destination, the mall, walking in and making a beeline towards the clothing stores. You tried on countless things, and bought whatever seemed necessary. “Nat, what is wrong with the captain?” You asked suddenly, sifting through the racks of clothing to find your size.

Her head popped up from between racks, “What? Why do you ask.”

“He is either hostile by nature, or really doesn't like me. Don't tell me you didn't notice.”

“Ugh. Yeah that was pretty uncharacteristic. He did have reservations about you joining the team but I didn't think he would be so unprofessional.”

Her words made you furrow your brow, and she noticed your expression before immediately speaking, “Don't worry about it. He'll come around soon enough.”

Nodding, you sent her a small smile before continuing to browse. An hour and twenty eight minutes later, you were done. Carrying all the bags, you headed back to Stark Tower, just in time for dinner. Natasha waited for you while you put away your things, heading up to the fifteenth floor. It opened up to a large living room, floor to ceiling windows like on every other level. There was a huge television set, and towards the side was a large dining table, already laid with food. Tony sat there at the head of the table, waving at the two of you. As you started walking to him, you heard the elevator ding, turning to see Wanda and Vision walk in, hand in hand. Smiling at them, you saw Natasha sit on Tony's side, so you took the seat next to her. Wanda and Vision seemed to be in no hurry to take a seat, and you heard the elevator ding again. In walked Steve, a few papers in hand, not looking up once. He took a seat on Tony's other side, across Natasha, and as if on cue, Wanda went to sit next to him, with Vision by her side. From what you gathered, Vision did not really need to eat, he just liked to give Wanda company. 

Tony cleared his throat and that was when Steve looked up, sending everyone a curt nod until he saw you. The expression on his face turned from visible horror to disgust, and you wanted to do nothing more than shove your dinner knife into his forehead- he was looking at you like you were a toad. What was this man's problem? Tony kicked him from under the table, causing him to turn away from you. Vision, ever the expert on reading a room, turned to you and asked, “So, (Y/N) how was your first day as an Avenger?”

Steve's jaw clenched, while Wanda, Natasha and Tony looked at Vision as if he had just asked you whether you liked eating babies. You, well you just wanted to drown in the tomato soup on the table. Still, taking a deep breath you turned to him and said, “Its been lovely, albeit slightly unstimulating. I trained all day, every day in the Red Room.”

“We might have something to help with that, theres a training room here. Not as big as the one back at the complex but large enough. You should go train there." Tony offered and you nodded him your thanks. 

Thankfully everyone started to focus on eating, except for Vision who was focusing on Wanda. As you were finishing your last bite, you saw a bit of one of the papers Steve had been holding. It seemed to be a picture of a facility, you could see a grey building in the middle of a mountain range. Your brows furrowed, and Steve noticed your line of vision before hurriedly covering the page. You turned your gaze to him, and he was glaring at you. You decided to glare back. 

(Y/N) was looking at the papers, and Steve felt she was the last person who needed to see them. Covering them, he glared at her, and when she glared back Steve felt like he would die. Her glare made him want to throw himself off the roof of Stark Tower, it was so cold and harsh. Just like she was cold and harsh. She could not be trusted, certainly not with the contents of the papers. Steve internally prayed that he could get to avoid her easily, and that no mission came up for the Avengers. Sadly, it seemed like Steve's luck was taking a turn for the worse.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope yall liked it, do lemme know what you guys think. The next chapter should be up pretty soon, see you next update lovelies!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello babies, I am updating very fast because jesus I am so inspired with this story and your comments validate me so much I love it. Also I know Steve is being a dick and the reader isn't exactly friendly either, but this is a slowww burn, bear with me pls.  
Enjoy!

Your first night sleeping in Stark Tower was discerning. It was partially because of the newness of everything, partially because you felt your old life would come back to bite you-you would close your eyes and wake up back in the Red Room. You felt the need to remain constantly vigilant, to keep looking over your shoulder even when you were alone. If it was not Red Room associates, then it would be Captain fucking America popping out from some dark corner to hit you in the head with his shield. He really did not like you, you could almost feel the hate reverberating off him when you were in the same room as him. You did not particularly like him very much either, but a part of you knew that he was attractive, very attractive. 

Giving up on sleep, you go out of bed and walked towards the window, which was basically just a glass wall. Sitting down on the cold floor, you gazed out at the city's twinkling lights, occasionally making the glass frost over to make patterns. You stayed there for a while, the last thing you remembered was the dim city lights before you fell asleep. The bright light woke you up, and you got off the floor, feeling stiff and uncomfortable. Stretching, you thought it would be a good idea to train and get rid of any tension in your joints. 

Changing into your newly purchased workout outfit, you walked out into the hallway towards the elevator, only to bump into Natasha. “Hey there, how'd you sleep?" 

Sending her a smile, you answered, “Not well actually. I wanted to go work out, what floor is the training room?”

“Its towards the lower levels, but have breakfast at least." she implored.

“Ill grab an apple from somewhere. See you later Nat!”

Before the redhead could protest more, you escaped into the elevator, sending her a small wave before the doors shut. When you reached the designated floor, you stopped and asked an employee where exactly the training rooms were. She was more than happy to show you to a room, and explained how you could train via virtual reality or just traditional target training. Deciding to give the virtual reality a try, you clicked one of the many scenarios presented, requesting a bow as your weapon. 

You chose the battle of New York as a training scenario, and soon the room around you changed, the stark white walls changing to look like the city, and soon an alien monster materialised in front of you. Taking a deep breath you notched an arrow and it landed in the creature's jugular. This did not seem to deter it in any way and it continued to charge at you, so you shot another and another. It took a total of four arrows to bring the alien down, only for two more to materialise. 

Deciding to abandon the weapons, you concentrated before sending a shard of ice hurtling at one of the aliens. It went straight through its skull and it dropped dead. The other was still charging at you, and you paused for a moment to think, before taking a deep breath and exhaling. The alien froze, covered in ice. Walking up to it, you punched the ice statue and it broke into a million fragments, falling to the floor. You smirked, using your magic was so fascinating and new. You felt like a child that had been given a new toy, you were going to test your limits and see what exactly you could do. 

You continued to train, bringing down the aliens one way or another. Having worked up a sweat, you decided to end it training for the day. Closing the simulation, you walked out towards the elevator, pressing for your floor. Once in your room, decided to take a shower and then eat something. Enjoying the feel of the ice cold water, you felt refreshed. Drying yourself, you contemplated on what to wear, simultaneously texting Natasha to meet you on the fifteenth floor in around 10 minutes. Choosing an outfit seemed more daunting than you expected, in the Room you would just wear either white or grey formless clothes. You never exactly had the opportunity for vanity, and now you were a bit out of your element. You settled on a black full sleeved shirt and a pair of denim shorts. Basic but comfortable. 

When you reached the fifteenth floor, you saw Natasha already there waiting on one of the couches, and you sent her a smile. She got up, gesturing for you to follow her. You walked past the dining table, make a turn to the left and found yourself standing in a kitchen. “This is where we come to make our food sometimes, or to raid the pantry. Go ahead.” She explained and you nodded, walking towards one of the cabinets and opening it to see it full of all types of cereal boxes.

Natasha let you rummage, choosing to sit herself on the marble countertop and watch. “How was training?”

“Oh it was good," you answered, washing an apple you found, “I tried out the virtual reality training room. Very invigorating compared to the Room.”

Pulling out one of the high stools at the counter, you took a seat, contentedly munching on your apple, occasionally humming a response to Natasha. You were done, and Natasha made you eat another apple, and forced a glass of juice down your throat before she felt satisfied that you had gotten enough nutrition. This behaviour reminded you of your mother, you had fuzzy memories of her smiling at you and giving you second helpings even when you protested against it. Shaking your head, you pushed away the feelings of nostalgia and started to walk with Natasha, smiling and walking backwards so you could face her. “Want to sit in the lounge and watch something?" She offered and you nodded.

You felt good, and you sent her a wink before you felt yourself crash into what seemed to be a rock solid wall, and heard an annoyed voice behind you say, “Watch it!”

~

You frustrated him. There was something in your eyes that unnerved him, and he did not like feeling unnerved. Part of him wanted to move out into the Avenger's compound even though it had only been a day since you joined the group and shifted into Stark Tower. But no, he would not show any sign of weakness. He was the leader of the team, he would not back down, even if your glare could make someone drop dead. 

After dinner he had gone to the training room and completely obliterated his targets, until Tony had to physically remove him from the room, muttering something about Steve destroying all his reserve robots. That night Steve dreamt about your eyes. The (e/c) orbs stared at him from amongst the distant mist, and he kept tossing and turning. As a result he woke up tired and in a terrible mood. He had been hesitant to head to breakfast, dreading to run into you, yet hunger got the better of him. He noticed you were not there and he smiled internally, seating himself next to Tony, who remarked how tired he looked. 

Finishing breakfast, he rushed back to his study which was piled with papers and files. Steve had been busy, weeks of research had led to his study becoming cluttered with all the information he gathered, and yet he still was not close to his goal. He continued to match leads, track sightings and reanalysing every bit of information. In his deep concentration, he forgot to eat lunch and when he finally felt his stomach grumble, he saw it was later than he expected. Picking up a spare file to read over, he decided to pop by the kitchen and grab a light snack, maybe relax for a bit in the lounge. 

He was deeply engrossed in the file when he heard the elevator ding. He got off, heading towards the kitchen without ever looking up and suddenly he felt himself bump into something-actually someone. “Watch it!" was out of his mouth before he could think as his file went flying from his hands.

You turned, seething, only to see Steve standing there with a scowl. His eyes scanned over your body, black suited you well. As much as he hated to admit, you were absolutely gorgeous, like a statuesque goddess. Your eyes were flashing with anger barely contained, and he tore his eyes off your exposed legs to glare at you. That was it for you. “You watch it. I don't have eyes at the back of my head. You could've stepped out of the way.”

Steve blinked once, then again. You had snapped at him. Your tone was venomous, and a logical person would have backed off, but Steve was in no mood to be logical. “Watch your tone with me. I am your Captain. I won't tolerate being spoken to like this.” He spoke slowly, voice low and threatening, tone cold. 

Natasha's grip on your arm was the only thing keeping you from lunging at him, although his voice did send a deep tingle in your stomach. Steeling yourself, you looked straight into his stormy eyes and challenged, “I have a problem with authority. In fact, I put a bullet in between the eyes of my last commander.”

Steve's jaw clenched, you had just threatened him. Moving closer to you until you were inches apart, he looked into the (e/c) eyes haunting his dreams and retaliated, “You are walking on thin ice. One false move, one mistake and I will have you removed. If I even get a feeling that you are going to slip into your bloodthirsty ways, I will personally see to it that you are not a problem again. Do I make myself clear?”

This was the closest Steve had been to you, and while a part of you was a little turned on, a bigger part of you wanted to chew on Steve’s heart. Natasha’s sharp nails digging into your arms kept you from full out annihilating the super soldier. Instead, you took a deep breath and replied in the most saccharine voice you could muster, “Crystal clear, Captain.”

Steve noticed the way you spat out his title, and while he wanted to have the last word, he had to eat. Stepping away, he picked up his file and stalked off to the kitchen, feeling your eyes burn holes in the back of his skull. While you were as beautiful as a rose, you had your fair share of thorns. 

~

Your interaction with Steve had been a disaster to say the least. Natasha had relayed every detail to Tony, and now they both paced his lab, trying to figure out what exactly irked you both. 

“We just need to keep them separate until we figure out what is wrong." Natasha suggested, only for Tony to shake his head.

Natasha's brow furrowed, she did not like the glint in Tony's eye, “Keeping them apart will just delay the inevitable fight. I think we should make them spar. It'll release pent up frustration and we'll intervene before it gets too bloody." 

“They're people Tony, not two rabid dogs.” 

“Well they were certainly acting like the latter according to you. Let's try out your plan, and when it obviously fails, we do what I say." 

“It wont fail, so long as a new mission isn't thrown at our face.” Natasha's tone was determined, she needed you both to stop behaving so hostile, it hurt her to see two people she care about hold such dislike for each other. 

“You might've just jinxed it Nat.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter, your comments and kudos are always appreciated. Do give constructive criticism so I can improve the content I put out for you guys. See you next update lovelies!


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys! Im back, your comments always make my day and I'm so happy y'all are enjoying this story, it warms my heart. Since its been a while since I updated, I wrote a super long chapter for you guys. Enjoy!

Natasha and Tony listened intently to what Fury had to say, their expressions darkening. “I'll send in the details as soon as possible, the ideal time to strike is exactly a week from now. I want you all shifting into the compound and training, especially with the new recruit so she gets used to working with a team.”

Fury ended the call, and Natasha saw Tony was wearing a self satisfied smirk. “What?" Snapped the redhead, clearly annoyed at how he could be smiling despite all that was happening.

“I told you that your plan would fail- and it did. Before it even started. I can’t wait to tell everyone about this." His amusement was barely contained and not taken well by Natasha, prompting her to send Tony a glare.

“Maybe we shouldn't take (Y/N), its too soon." Concern laced her tone as she continued, “Besides, you know her and Steve are not exactly on the best of terms."

“You heard what Fury said. He wants it done, plus you cant babysit her forever. She'll have to be part of a mission sooner or later. Plus this week should help in smoothing things over with her and Capsicle." Quipped Tony and Natasha nodded reluctantly.

~

A part of you had wanted to avoid dinner, the other part did not want to have Steve win.You could not let him think you were weak, that one argument had killed your fighting spirit. So there you sat at the table, expression steely as you waited for everyone else to join. Natasha and Tony came in together, and a minute later Wanda and Vision. Tony sat at the head and sent you a smile which you returned. “I heard you hit the training rooms today, hopefully it was a bit stimulating.” 

“Very much so, I was invigorated-" You were cut short with the ding of the elevator as you all turned to see Steve walk in. He sent a nod to everyone, taking his seat and refusing to look at your direction. 

“Everyone's here. Perfect. We need to talk." Said Natasha, her tone unreadable.

Both Steve and you turned to her, assuming it was about your earlier altercation. She in turn looked at Tony, who started to speak, “Fury called and theres a mission for the team. You'll be briefed about it soon enough, but for now he wants us to move into the compound and train together, figure out how (Y/N) will fit in the dynamic." 

All eyes turned to you, even Steve’s, and you met everyones stares head on. “You'll need a hero name." Vision said suddenly, his tone light and musing.

‘Cold Bitch' was a fitting title according to Steve, yet he kept this thought to himself, watching you think for a second before speaking, “Since Wanda already has Scarlet Witch, I was thinking maybe Enchantress.”

Steve rolled his eyes, yes maybe your looks were enchanting but that was about it. Everyone else at the table seemed to be liking your choice of title and before Steve could add in a petty comment, Natasha spoke up, “Pack a few things everyone, we'll be heading out to the compound after dinner. Sam'll join in a few days but for now it'll be just us." 

She tried to keep her tone exciting but you were not fooled, neither was Steve. You both held pained expressions on your face, like you would rather stab yourselves in the eyes with forks than train together. Another irking factor was that all the living quarters were in the same wing at the compound, so you would be more likely to run into Steve. This thought did not bring him the slightest joy, but it had to be done. 

The rest of dinner was silent, everyone lost in their own thoughts. You stared at your plate, suddenly joining the Avengers seemed all too real, you would be going out for your first mission this week. Put off from food, you got up and headed for the elevator, might as well get a head start on packing. Making your way to your room, you placed a duffel bag on your bed and started to rummage through your closet. Throwing in a few shirts and training clothes, you zipped up the bag and sat down next to it on the bed. Before you could sink too deep into your thoughts, you heard Natasha call out to you. 

Grabbing the bag, and after a second thought your phone you headed to the hall, sending Natasha a small smile as you stepped into the elevator after her and watched her press the button to the roof. Stepping out, you smiled at the cold night’s chill. The rest of the team stood by a helicopter and as you walked towards it you took the time to take in the view of the bustling city beneath you. Taking a seat, you leaned back and closed your eyes, not wanting to have an interaction with anyone currently. The helicopter took off, the coordinates already placed in. You could hear the rest talking, and you tuned them out, choosing to think again about your childhood home. You craved those mountains, that view. It was like a pull deep in your soul and it left you slightly restless, especially since each day made your memories fuzzier. You must have dozed off, Natasha woke you up with a slight shake to tell you that they had reached the compound. 

Steve had watched you as you slept on the way. He had been listening to what Tony was saying, and inexplicably his gaze shifted to you. Expecting a glare or unwelcoming expression, the super soldier was surprised to see your eyes closed, face almost peaceful as you slept. The barest of smiles graced your lips, clearly you were having a good dream. This sight warmed Steve's heart just a bit, something that made him double take. You were probably dreaming about killing people, or biting out the hearts of your enemies, Steve told himself to stop the warmth from spreading and it worked. Turning back to Tony he nodded at opportune moments to give the impression that he had been listening the whole time.

As everyone got off onto the helipad, Tony gestured for everyone to follow him. Filtering into the same living room as last time, you watched everyone take a seat except for Tony and Steve. Tony was fiddling away with a screen while the latter just stood, arms crossed against his chest. You looked at him from the corner of your eye, pretending to look at what Tony was doing. Yes, Steve got on your nerves. But he looked so damn good it was a crime. All his shirts were like second skin, clinging to his muscles and that face. It had been sculpted by the gods, there was no doubt. If only he weren't such a moron. 

Tony started to speak, explaining the basics of the mission, how they would have to infiltrate a building and rescue a few subjects. “So any questions?" Tony asked, and you raised a hand.

“Yeah (Y/N) go ahead.”

“What exactly are we supposed to do if we run into resistance? Obviously the facility will have some sort of security. Whats the rule on killing people?”

Your nonchalant, borderline bored tone threw everyone off. Tony coughed awkwardly, and Steve stood up straighter, his jaw clenching. Tony was about to answer you before Steve cut him off, “We tend to not kill people when we can. We help them. Must be a foreign concept for someone like you." 

His words made your eye twitch in annoyance. “Interesting. Didn't you willingly sign up for World War 2 which had upto 85 million deaths if I’m not mistaken? I'm sure those numbers were achieved by 'saving' people-not killing them.” Your tone was harsh, and Natasha wanted to drop dead on the floor. 

'Calm, inherently pure and good.' That was how she had kept describing you to the team, which was why you were here right now. And right now, you were yet again in an argument with Steve. She knew it was as much Steve's fault, he had been behaving terribly but you were not leaving a chance to snap back at him. 

Your words sent Steve reeling, “I enlisted to help my country, to stand up for justice and do what was right. Those might seem like unknown terms to someone like you, but I take them very seriously.”

“Someone like me? I'm sorry if I don't meet your All American Boy standards. Besides, I'd rather die than be some jarhead turned into a circus animal.” 

Those words hit Steve hard, it had been something he had struggled with and for you to say it was like a punch in the chest. It was like you knew exactly how to rile him up, say what would affect him the most. Anger clouding over, his response was cold.

“Still better than being a soulless cutthroat." 

“Say that one more time Captain." You challenged, hands forming two fireballs which you were going to throw straight at his perfect blond head. 

“Both of you break it up. Enough of this. We are a team. I expect you two to keep this personal bullshit away from tomorrow's training. Now everyone get some sleep.” Tony's harsh tone made you feel guilty and you extinguished the flames, not before sending Steve one last glare.

“I am sorry Tony, that was out of line." You said, genuinely guilty for disappointing him.

He nodded, accepting your apology before turning to look at Steve pointedly. The super soldier squared his shoulders, turning and walking out the room. You regretted not throwing the fireball at him when you had the chance. 

~

You were up an hour earlier than the sun, and you chose to stretch and relieve muscle tension. Your thoughts turned to the super soldier, and you would be lying if you said his words did not affect you. He thought you were some mindless killing machine, and behaved as if you had chosen your life. He brought out the worst in you and it was emotionally tolling fighting with him. You wanted to be better, but that did not mean you were ashamed of your past. 

Your room was somewhat the same size as the one back at the tower, but instead of the city, your view was of the lawn. Nat's room was to your right, then Wanda and Vision’s. Tony's was across the hall, and because the gods hated you, Steve's room was to your left. Vision had offered to switch places with you, but you did not want to take him away from Wanda so you had waved off his suggestion. Its not like Steve would break through the wall and kill you, or vice versa. Unless of course you had another fight. Then all bets were off. 

Tony had asked everyone to come down for breakfast, and training would start immediately after. You still were not sure what you would have to do exactly to built a rapport with the team, trust falls maybe? You rolled your eyes at the thought. Heading downstairs to where the kitchen and dining table was, you bumped into Tony, who greeted you cheerily. 

“Good morning (Y/N). Sleep well?”

You nodded your response, hesitating before saying, “I truly am sorry for my behaviour last night. I am grateful you've given me a chance and-"

You were cut off as Tony waved his hand, dismissing your apology, “Its okay kid. Cap's to blame more than you are. Try not to let him get to you, he's almost ninety and temper tantrums and crankiness are bound to come with that age." 

You let out a small laugh at his words as he continued, “I also took the liberty of commissioning a suit for you, like Natasha’s. Try it out today for training.”

You smiled your thanks, reaching the table, Wanda and Natasha already seated. You sat down next to Natasha, greeting Wanda and putting a slice of bread on your plate. Natasha rolled her eyes, taking an apple and dropping it onto your plate, and pouring you a glass full of juice. You shrugged sheepishly before starting to eat, content to listen to the conversation going on. Vision walked in with Steve, they seemed to be in a heated discussion about something or the other, falling quiet when they saw everyone else. Natasha raised an eyebrow at Steve who shrugged, taking his seat and helping himself. When everyone was finished eating, Tony told everyone to go suit up and then meet him in the training room. 

You walked back upstairs, talking to Natasha about your new suit when you heard the door slam. It came from the direction of Steve's room and you rolled your eyes. “Will he always be like this?” 

“No of course not! I'll talk to him." Natasha replied, not believing a word she said. 

Your suit was on the bed, and you changed into it, the fit was perfect, and bless his heart Tony made the neckline rounded, not the high collar Natasha had. Slipping on your combat boots, you headed out, trying to figure out where the training room was. Luckily you caught a glimpse of Wanda and called out to her, jogging up to her and following her. As you walked inside the training room, you felt something hurtling towards your head and you ducked instinctively. Looking up, you saw Steve's shield embedded in the wall. You turned to face him incredulously, was he seriously trying to decapitate you? 

Everyone else was frozen, and Steve's eyes widened as he realised that he had almost hit you instead of the target he was aiming for. He could see you start to boil over, and fearing his life he threw up his hands, calling out, “Accident!"

You blinked once, then twice. Taking a deep breath you removed the shield from the wall and threw it towards Steve. You heard everyone else inhale sharply, and Steve closed his eyes waiting for impact till he heard his shield clatter upon impact with the floor. He opened his eyes to see the shield at his feet, you already talking to Tony, your back turned to him. He had half expected you would attack him, he could tell a part of you really wanted to. 

“Now that everyones stopped attempting to kill each other, gather round." Tony called out, sending Steve a harsh look.

Everyone made their way to the middle of the room and Tony started to speak again, “So I want each of you to spar against (Y/N), and then team up to fight in a simulation. The rest of you will do timed individual simulation training-take down as many targets in the least amount of time. First person to go against (Y/N) is Natasha.”

This made you smirk, and you sent the redhead a wink, waiting for the rest to walk away. Tony made his way up to the observing room, he would take a look at how you fought with everyone to help him properly place you in the upcoming mission. Natasha nodded at you, and you started to circle each other. “I wont use magic, you know to take it easy on you." You said, your tone teasing.

Natasha shook her head at your words before lunging at you. You stepped to the side, dodging her barely. She sent a roundhouse kick to your head which you ducked, aiming a punch at her gut. She blocked it, having a vice like grip on your wrist as she pulled you forward, headbutting you. Oh how you hated when she did that. It took you a moment to stop your head from ringing, and a moment was all Natasha needed. A kick to your legs sent you on the floor. Huffing, you looked up at her triumphant expression before springing up again. 

This time you decided to attack. You aimed a punch at her head, she shifted out of the way before you sent another. Distracting her effectively, you kicked her straight in the stomach and she flew back a few metres. Not giving her a moments respite you lunged at her, making her fall to the floor as you pinned her back in a chokehold. She struggled for a moment before flipping you over, your head colliding against the tiles. Using your strength, you sat up before leaning forward and licking Natasha's nose. She looked at you in confusion, her expression clearly screaming ‘what the fuck’ as her grip on your throat lightened. You took this chance to suplex her, hearing her body thud behind you. Getting up you waited for Natasha to sit up before shoving your elbow down her shoulder, then wrapping an arm around her neck tightly, looking up to see Tony smiling. Natasha tapped at your arm, yielding and you let go, getting up and giving her a hand. 

“You fight dirty." Natasha said and you smiled.

“I wont be licking the enemies nose don't worry, this was just a little payback for the headbutt. You know I hate that.”

Natasha nodded at Tony, who made a screen appear, and she started tapping away at it and you took this moment to see what the others were doing. Wanda was throwing power blasts at targets and decimating them, while Steve and Vision were in some sort of simulation, fighting with thin air. A table of weapons appeared, and you saw Natasha pick up her batons, and you debated what to choose. Since you had already fought in one simulation with a bow and arrow, you picked up two long daggers, gripping their hilts tightly and nodding at Natasha. 

“We’ll be fighting rouge hitmen. Tony'll be able to see our simulation to see how you operate. Ready?" Natasha instructed and you nodded, taking a deep breath as the simulation started to form around you. 

You saw four black faceless figures materialise and come towards you two. You could hear Natasha's batons crackle, and you smiled. This was your element. You waited till the figures reached you, immediately shoving one dagger into the chest a figure, the other slashing at the figure's arm. It dropped onto the floor, dematerialising as the second one swung at you. Ducking out of the way, you slashed upwards, cutting off its arm and then slitting its neck. Natasha was pretty busy herself, doling out hits to the attacking figures and you sent her a nod, wordlessly communicating as you threw a dagger at the back of the figure's head. 

More started to materialise and come at you two, and Natasha kicked your dagger back at you. Catching it without even turning, you shoved it into the approaching figure's face. You felt yourself slip into the similar routine of fighting, your movements fluid as you anticipated Natasha's moves, mirroring them. You knew how she fought, it was like sharing a mind. You used your magic, throwing the odd fireball or two and soon you heard the timer beep, the simulation dematerialising and you put away the daggers.

Tony descended from the stairs, the others stopping their training to hear what he had to say. “That was excellent (Y/N) you took out about 79 figures with Natasha. Clearly you both have a good dynamic. You're skilled in hand to hand combat, but I want to see you go up against someone you won’t have to pull punches with." 

Your gaze immediately went to Steve, who was wiping his forehead. Turning your gaze back to Tony you thanked him for his feedback. “Nat, you go switch out with Vision. Lets see how you do now. Vision, no use of enhanced magic abilities or whatever and (Y/N) same to you.”

His words made you raise an eyebrow, and you saw Natasha head towards the corner of the room as Vision floated to where you were before landing on the floor. Tony nodded at you, heading upstairs and Steve followed. For the first time since you had met each other, Steve and you had the same thought- ‘This will be interesting’.

Turning to Vision, you sent him a smile which he reciprocated. You then aimed a kick at his head, which he blocked, gripping your leg and throwing you back. You slide backwards, digging in your heels and smiling. He was strong. Good. Running towards him again, this time you went straight for his throat, which he did not manage to dodge and you slammed him to the ground, the impact making a loud sound, making Natasha and Wanda's heads snap in your direction. 

Vision blinked, and then shoved a flat palm against your chest, sending you hurtling. It took you a moment to catch your breath before you attacked him again. His reflexes were fast, dodging your attacks. He suddenly sent a punch to your jaw and you slid back, getting an idea. Adjusting your jaw and ignoring the dull pain, you started to avoid the blows he threw at you before leaping backwards. Starting to run towards him again, he readied himself, waiting for another attack to the head. What he did not expect was for you to slide onto the floor, going between his legs and jumping up behind him. Not giving him a moment to turn, you clenched your hands into tight fists before making each hit the sides of his head. The impact caused another loud bang, and Vision fell to his knees. A kick to his back and he was on the floor. You counted two seconds before he pushed up again, and you sent a punch down his back, pinning him to the ground. You looked up to see Tony beaming while Steve's face was neutral, as usual. You rolled your eyes, stepping away from Vision and he floated up. 

The same simulation started to appear, and you grabbed your daggers again, readying yourself. You moved your jaw, it hurt but you ignored it, grip on the daggers tightening as the figures started hurtling at you both. Falling into the same pattern, you fought on. Vision was a very controlled fighter, almost rigid in his movements, yet effective all the same. Mixing hand to hand combat with your magic attacks, you worked up a sweat just as the timer beeped. Tony rushed down again, practically leaping as he made his way towards you. “65 down, not bad. You match Vision's attack level clearly, which is good. I also noticed that your immediate reflex is to go for the throat, which is effective. Try to rely a bit more on your magic, it'll be an asset." 

Steve made his way down the stairs, ignoring you completely and instead heading to Natasha. You noticed it was almost evening already and Tony told everyone to go take a break and then come to dinner in exactly two hours. Seeing as Natasha was talking to Steve, you walked out with Wanda and Vision, sending the latter an apology and asking if he was okay. 

“You pack a good punch. I'll be fine, what about your jaw?" He asked.

“It's sore but I'll heal it tonight." You responded and this interested Wanda.

“You can heal yourself?" She asked and you nodded.

“Well kind of. It's not like automatic accelerated healing. I need to focus my power towards the injury and envision it being healed and thats when it works. Not really useful mid fight because I'd have to pause and concentrate." 

Wanda nodded at your words before saying, “Teach me.”

You smiled and nodded, promising to show her tomorrow. She sent you a beaming smile before leading Vision into their room. Not wanting to loiter in the hallway and bump into Steve, you rushed into your room, hitting the shower. The warm water felt divine against your sore muscles, and you relaxed for a while, cleaning yourself and stepping out. Manoeuvring a gust of wind to blow over you, you dried your body. Slipping into a pair of grey cotton pyjamas and a black tank top you lay down on the bed, feet resting against the headboard and hair falling down its edge. Closing your eyes, you started to concentrate, feeling your magic flow through your veins towards your jaw. It tingled for a few seconds, and you tested it out-no more pain. 

Staying on the bed for a while, you were content with doing nothing and letting your hair air dry. You could hear Natasha in her room, could hear Steve pacing in his and you sighed contentedly. Today had been fun, and you had managed to avoid a fight with Steve despite him almost removing your head from your shoulders. Feeling proud of your self control you formed a small snowflake, starting to manoeuvre it around your fingers, making it float and dance. 

You heard the Natasha's room door open, and sat up, knowing it was time for dinner. Your hair was almost dry, and you pinned it away from your face, wearing a grey cardigan and a pair of slippers and heading down for food.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hoped you liked the chapter, your comments and kudos are much loved and appreciated! See you next update lovelies!


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy guys! I am loving your comments on this fic, I'm so glad you guys are enjoying it. I know Steve's coming off as a bit OC but only for a while I promise.  
Like I said, I'm really inspired for now so will try to write as much as possible both for this and Forced Together. Anyways, enjoy the chapter!

Dinner had been surprisingly uneventful, everyone was slightly worn out from the training session and so the only sound heard was the clinking of cutlery. Finishing your food, you sent Natasha a look and she nodded imperceptibly. Everyone filtered out the room while you and Natasha stayed on. As soon as everyone was gone you were at her side, filled with questions, “What did you talk about with Steve? Did you find out why he hates me? Did you tell him to stop behaving like I personally inserted a pole up his ass?”

“Woah, calm down! One question at a time!" Said the redhead, throwing up her hands in exasperation. 

You took a deep breath, composing yourself before asking, “What did he say to you in the training room?”

“He just told me that he wasn't aiming to hit you with his shield and that it was an accident. I still chewed him up about it though." 

You frowned at her words, shaking them off and saying, “Well he did almost decapitate me. He should be glad I didn't return the favour. Also could you give me a little tour of the premises? I don't want to get lost every day.”

Natasha smiled at your request, starting to walk around and explain what all the various wings and rooms were for. The compound was rather extensive and you tried to remember as much as possible, making a map of the place in your head. Natasha mentioned the extensive woodlands surrounding the compound and the lake, which interested you. As soon as you got the chance you would be setting out to explore the woods, and maybe pretend you were back home. After most of the tour, Natasha led you back up to your room and told you to get some rest. 

Heading inside, you made way for your bed, sinking into it with a small sigh. You could hear Natasha's even breathing, and you strained, trying to hear what Steve was doing. When you could not hear anything, you froze. As irrational as it seemed, you flicked your hand and made the dresser shift to barricade your door, you did not want an angry super soldier barging into your room in the middle of the night. Sleep came easier than you expected, you had been pretty exhausted after all the fighting, and you welcomed the approaching slumber. 

You woke up to chirping birds, and for a second thought you were back home until you took in your surroundings. After freshening up, you made your way downstairs and took your place at the breakfast table. You were the first person there, and you started to pour yourself juice when you saw Steve walk in. He froze when he saw you were the only one at the table before squaring his shoulders and taking his place. Ignoring you blatantly he started to eat and the silence in the room was deafening. You saw him open his mouth, about to say something but the words died in his throat as everyone else filtered in. Tony started to talk about todays training session, how everyone would finish breakfast and head to the training room after gearing up, just like yesterday. 

Clearing your plate, you rushed upstairs and changed quickly, ready to tackle the new day. You reached the training room on your own which made you glad, and you walked inside to see Tony and Steve talking to each other. Upon seeing you, Steve pulled away from Tony and stalked off to a corner of the room to tap away at a screen, and Tony walked up to you. “You'll be going up against Wanda today, but not hand to hand combat because I know you'd overpower her in a second. I want you to fight her magic with yours because like Natasha said you had been on suppressants for quite a while- this should help us all figure out your limits.”

You nodded dutifully at his words, Tony had quickly filled in the role of your somewhat mentor, you wanted to make him proud. While waiting for Wanda to come in, you started to stretch and out of the corner of your eye, saw Steve watching you. When you looked in his direction, he started to stare at the wall with such interest and you smirked at his behaviour, he was not exactly subtle. Wanda came in along with Natasha and Vision, and Tony briefed her with the same details he told you. Natasha and Vision started to train with targets and Wanda walked up to you. You felt like a gladiator, having to fight against a new opponent everyday, which was pretty similar to what you would have to do in The Red Room, except now you felt more at ease, and knew that losing was an option. Not that you planned on losing, it was not in your nature. 

Tony took his place up in the observing room and nodded at you two, a sign that you both should start. Wanda threw an experimental energy blast at you, which you dodged. She started to throw more, and you did your best to avoid the red energy blasts. You sent an icicle her way, and she materialised a shield blocking it. You threw a fireball next, which she blocked again with her shield. Brows furrowing, you attempted to not send an element based attack and instead just an energy based one like Wanda. Concentrating, you saw blue energy form around your fists and you thrusted it forward, colliding with Wanda's shield and shattering it. This threw her off for a second, and you clenched your fist, making her float upwards as she struggled. You had not thought further past making her float, and did not know what to do with her now. While you debated what to do next, Wanda sent an energy blast your way, which you dodged barely, throwing off your concentration and Wanda landed to the ground. 

Making elaborate gestures with her hands, you saw her form a huge energy blast which she threw towards you, and you closed your eyes, arms raised waiting for impact. Five seconds passed, then ten and then fifteen. When nothing happened you cracked one eye open and saw you had formed a blue energy shield, and it was holding up against Wanda's relentless attack. Without thinking, you pushed the shield forward and it went to collide with Wanda. She was about to throw another attack at you when you heard Tony's voice, “Thats enough sparring, I've seen what I needed to. Enter the simulation guys, and remember, try to take out as many figures as you can.”

Both of you nodded at Tony, and Wanda entered the simulation code onto the screen and you took a deep breath, watching the black figures start to appear. You were supposed to just use your magic and you took a deep breath, before sending a volley of icicles that embedded themselves in the bodies of the figures. A few dematerialised and a few still continued to run towards you. You could see Wanda destroy them with her blasts and you concentrated, forming a small blue energy blast which you threw at a figure and smiled when it dematerialised instantly. You would have to ask for Wanda's help later to properly form the energy, it was a pretty new technique. Sticking to what you knew, you started throwing fireballs at the figures’ heads, imagining they were Steve instead. 

The timer rang and Tony came downstairs, his brows slightly furrowed, “Okay so 59 down which is not bad exactly, but I know you can do better. Clearly magic is something you aren't completely comfortable with yet, so I’ll set up a few individual training sessions for you in which you just use magic, especially energy blasts like Wanda. Otherwise good job.”

You smiled at his words, and he spoke a bit louder, “Everyone, take a break and cool off. I'll see if we need to have another session or not today.”

He walked out the room, and you turned to Wanda, “If you want, I could teach you the healing thing I do. I was hoping you could help me with energy blasts too. " 

She nodded enthusiastically, grabbing your hand and smiling. “Can we go outside? I've been wanting to go out into the lawn." You asked and she agreed, leading you outside.

She walked out onto the grass, and you hesitated for a second before stepping out with her, smiling as the sun hit your skin and you smelled the freshly mown grass. It was not too hot, a light breeze was blowing, making you feel refreshed. Heading more to the middle of the lawn, you turned to Wanda. 

“Okay so what I do for the healing is that I picture my magic and energy, see it as a physical entity mixed into my bloodstream. It helps to assign a colour to it, like how your energy is red and mine is apparently blue. I picture it flowing through me, headed to where I am injured. Then I picture it washing over my wounds like a wave and healing it. I see it fixing me and that area starts to tingle, and when it stops I have healed. It works better for smaller injuries, it takes multiple tries and a longer time to heal major stuff like broken bones. I imagine I could regrow a limb too, but seems like a very tedious and difficult process." 

You saw Wanda listen to every single word you said attentively, nodding and concentrating. “Here, I'll demonstrate." You offered, snapping your fingers and a long dagger appeared in your hand.

Steve was up in his room, attempting to relax after training when he looked out on the lawn. He saw you standing there with Wanda, and his temple creased. What were you two doing? He walked closer to the glass wall, and his eyes widened when he saw you materialise that dagger. Assuming you were about to stab Wanda, he rushed out his room, leaping past the stairs and hurtling out into the lawn, ready to tackle you to the ground when he froze. He could hear what you were saying and saw how you rolled up the sleeve of your suit up to your elbow. 

“So I'll make a small cut," You said, and proceeded to slash your arm with the dagger, and Steve's eyes widened. 

What the hell were you doing? And the cut was not exactly small, it went up from your wrist to your elbow and was bleeding profusely. You were not bothered at all though, placing the dagger on the grass and ignoring the small patch of red on the grass, speaking to Wanda, “Now I'll close my eyes, and like I said, picture my magic washing over the wound and healing it.”

Eyes closed, he saw your brow furrow with concentration, and he turned his gaze to your arm, and saw it stop bleeding and then start to heal, the cut disappearing and your arm returning to normal, not even the barest of scratch on it. Wanda looked impressed, and Steve was too. “Now you try." You said to Wanda, holding your hand out for her to place her palm on it.

When she did, you picked up the dagger again, and Steve immediately went rigid again, ready to attack if you slashed at Wanda. He watched on as you changed the dagger into a small pin, lightly pricking Wanda's index finger. Realising you were not going to hurt Wanda, Steve started to back away, still watching you. 

A droplet of blood formed on Wanda's finger and you stepped away. “Go ahead, and remember, picture it flow through you. It is a part of you, just as much as your heart or brain.”

Closing her eyes, Wanda nodded at your words. You watched and waited, she scrunched her eyes in concentration yet nothing happened. She let out a frustrated grunt and you said encouragingly, “Come on, I know you can do this. Focus. Feel your power wash over it, feel it heal you."

Wanda pursed her lips, trying again and suddenly let out a gasp, eyes flying open when she saw the blood droplet had disappeared and her finger was healed. She started to squeal excitedly and ran to give you hug. You froze for a second, not expecting the display of affection before hugging her back. Her smile was infectious and you could not help but reciprocate it. “Thank you.”

You smiled at her earnest tone and replied, “Oh please, I just gave you a little nudge. You are a good student. Practice will make perfect, although I recommend not hurting yourself just to see it heal, try it after training sessions, it helps energise sore muscles too.”

She nodded and then stood up straight, mock serious expression on her face, “Now your turn. Make a few targets appear please." 

You waved your hand, and four dummies materialised out onto the lawn. “How well do you process your emotions?" Her question caught you off guard and you turned to her, your incredulous expression being enough of an answer. 

“Ah. See that’s the problem. I try to channel my energy through my emotions, that’s what makes it more powerful. I tap into residual feelings and base my attacks through them.” As Wanda spoke, she demonstrated by making a small energy blast form in her hand and then dissipate. 

“What would you say is the emotion you suppress most?" 

“Anger. Definitely anger. All others are at a close second. Back in the Room, we weren't exactly supposed to have feelings. It was easier to deal with everything when looking at it through a clinical lens. Then everything is just statistics." Your voice sounded faraway, and Wanda realised you had been digging your nails into your palms. 

“Relax. I need you to access that rage and direct it towards the targets. Watch me." She had placed a comforting hand on your shoulder, and now moving away she took a deep breath, forming a large energy blast and throwing it at the target. It was decimated. She repeated the action with the second one before turning to you. “Focus your anger, feel it and then direct it outwards. Its actually very cathartic." She instructed and you nodded. 

Your thoughts shifted to Steve, he certainly made you angry. His words rang in your head- ‘soulless cutthroat’, ‘bloodthirsty' and you saw an energy blast form in your hand. You threw it towards the target, and it did a bit of damage, but was still standing. “Not bad, but I need you to think about something that makes your blood boil, something that keeps you up at night and makes you want to burn the world.”

You turned to face Wanda, a question in your eyes which she saw. Sending you a wry smile she said, “My brother Pietro was killed in front of me. He had always protected me, and I could not do the same. I use his death as my source of anger." 

“I am sorry you had to go through that." You said, unsure of what else to add, you had never been good with emotions whether they be yours or someone else's. 

She smiled at you, letting you know she was okay. Turning back to the target, you closed your eyes and thought back to that fateful day. You had been inside your home, waiting at the table for your parents to join you for food when they had come in and started shooting. You watched your parents corpses fall in front of you as they dragged you out kicking and screaming. They took you away from your beautiful home to throw you into a prison, to manipulate you into becoming their machine of war. Opening your eyes, you let yourself feel all that suppressed rage, the gunshots that killed your parents ringing in your ears. The energy blast in your hand was huge, and you threw it at the target. Not only was it destroyed, the one you had thrown a blast at earlier also managed to get destroyed. 

Wanda clapped, her voice full of joy, “Very good.”

She rushed up to you, yet seeing your haunted expression her’s changed to one of concern. Turning to her, you sent her a small smile, and before she asked you said, “My parents were shot in front of me by agents of the Room before they took me away.”

She looked horrified, and you immediately felt guilty and you lightly shoved her shoulder, letting out an awkward chuckle, “Hey it's okay. I was actually thinking about Steve throwing his shield at my head and almost killing me.”

This made her giggle, and you were glad. “Thank you for teaching me today." You said and she smiled, “Thank you as well.”

She turned, heading back towards the compound. When you did not follow, she turned to you and called out, “Aren't you coming in?”

“You go on! I'll catch up." You waved her off, turning and seeing the woods calling to you. 

Now that you were alone, you stopped walking towards the woods and instead broke out into a sprint, rushing in. You flew past the trees, leaves crunching underneath your boots. Skidding to a stop, you took in your surroundings. Trees everywhere, with sunlight filtering in through the leaves. You could smell the scent of the earth, and it made you smile. 

Taking off your boots, you burrowed your feet in the ground, relishing the feel of grass between your toes finally. You kept walking forward, drinking in your surroundings like a thirsty traveller. It was not like home, with the cold air and fresh scent of pine trees, but it would do. When you reached the edge of a clearing, you sat down at the base of a tree, leaning back against its trunk to look out at the clearing. The cool breeze and quiet atmosphere was calming, and you felt your eyes drift shut. 

~

“Where is she?" Natasha yelled, glaring at Tony and Steve. 

When Tony shrugged in response, Natasha wanted to rip her hair out. “We need to find her. Now.”

Her tone left no room for debate, and Tony informed Wanda and Vision that you had been missing since the afternoon. It was now almost time for dinner. They had not really suspected anything when you did not show up for lunch, assuming you were resting. It was when Natasha went up to your room to check on you and found it empty did she start to worry a bit. A quick search of the compound showed that you were not anywhere. 

Natasha and Tony started to head towards the shed where the vehicles were kept, and Steve started to pace. Maybe you had gone rouge already, and had met up with some criminal organisation to give them the location of the compound and countless other secrets. He had to find you, if only to figure out what you had told. Going into the control room, he accessed the security camera feed and saw you training with Wanda in the lawn before running into the woods. 

He replayed it again just to be sure, and then fast-forwarded it to see if you had emerged and gone elsewhere. Letting out a groan when you had not, he left the room and marched out onto the lawn. It was still light out, just barely and the sun was setting and Steve kept muttering to himself about how ridiculous this whole situation was. Entering the woods, he started to look at signs that showed you had crossed by and he could barely make out your footsteps in the dirt. 

He was so engrossed in looking down to decipher where your footprints led to, he bumped into something, and that something let out a yelp. He saw bare feet, and look up to see you standing in front of him. You had woken up from your nap to see it getting dark and had started to rush back to the compound. In your hurry, you did not see the super soldier and had crashed right into him. 

Getting over his initial shock, he steeled his expression and asked harshly, “Why exactly did you run off and disappear into the woods?”

“I was exploring. It's not like the world ended when I was gone.” You retorted, clearly annoyed. 

You had been having such a nice time in the woods and after your nap had felt so at peace, and then of course Steve had to ruin it. 

“Did you meet anyone while you were here?” He asked and you looked at him incredulously.

“Meet up? And do what? Exchange state secrets?” Your tone was sarcastic but when you saw Steve's unchanging expression you got angry. 

“Are you serious? You expect me to betray you all when it's not even been a week since I joined?”

“Perhaps. You never know with people like you.” 

“You know what, I don't want to kill you here so I’ll be walking back to the compound. Excuse me.”

As you started to walk off in a huff, he followed you, taking this chance to berate you, “Even if you weren't betraying us, you can't just disappear without telling us. You are part of a team now, you have a responsibility.”

“Its not like I planned to fall asleep.”

This made him freeze, and you turned back to him, eyebrow raised. 

“You fell asleep in the woods.” He said, making it sound more like a question than a statement.

“Yes, that's what I just said.” You retorted, already turning back when he strode up to you, grabbing your forearm in a vice like grip.

Pulling you closer to him, expression steely and eyes cold, he hissed, “Do you realise how stupid that was. You could have been captured by someone, who'd then blackmail us for information. You could have compromised all of us.”

His grip was like iron and you tried to tug free, but it made no difference. “Let. Go.” You threatened, your voice low and full of venom. 

Not responding, he started to walk, pulling you behind him, hand never leaving your arm. Your surprise at his audacity kept you from attacking him. You stopped struggling once you reached the edge of the woods, choosing the path of least resistance and letting him essentially drag you into the compound towards the living room. When you both entered, everyone fell quiet. Tony and Natasha's eyes were the size of dinner plates, Wanda's mouth hanging open. “You found her! How nice!” called out Vision, as usual oblivious to the tension in the room. 

Steve let go of your arm, and you immediately pulled it back to massage it. His grip had been too tight-bruises were starting to form. 

“Wanda, Vision you both should leave. Now.” Steve's tone was enough to make them rush out without protest, though Wanda sent you a supportive smile before exiting. 

“What is this Steve?” Natasha asked, walking up to you to check if you were okay.

“This is why I didn't want her on the team. She's a liability. Not only did she disappear without informing one of us, she fell asleep in the middle of the woods where anyone could have found her-”

Steve was cut off by Tony snorting, “What type of ‘Babes in the wood' shit is this? She can take care of herself in the unlikely event of an attack.”

“Throwing a few punches doesn't make her capable of dealing with an ambush.” He remarked, and you wanted to scream at him.

“As I was saying, she is irresponsible, illogical and a risk to the whole team.”

Natasha was about to speak, finally giving Steve a piece of her mind yet Tony suddenly had an idea, signalling her to stay quiet. You watched this exchange, a bit wary of Tony's devious expression. “What do you suggest we do about it Captain? We can't kick her off the team." He asked, mock concern lacing his features.

Steve squared his shoulders, not catching Tony's sardonic tone and replying evenly, “She needs to be put under observation at the very least. Someone needs to be assigned to keep an eye on her at all times to make sure she stays in line. Someone who could overpower her if the situation requires.”

Now you really wanted to scream a him, and maybe bite out his heart while you were at it. You were about to march up to him when Natasha held you back, while Tony had the biggest shit-eating grin on his face. “Good idea Captain. You're perfect for the job. You've already started by rescuing her from the woods. Glad to see we are all on the same page.”

Steve's eyes widened, Natasha was debating on whether to laugh or cry, and you could not believe what was happening. Steve Rogers, the man who hated your guts was now your babysitter. The Gods really must hate you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope y'all liked the chapter, do let me know what you think about it in the comments! Seriously the kudos and comments make me so happy thank you all so much. See you next update lovelies!


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy guys! I wrote this instead of studying because priorities. I'm so happy the story has reached more than 100 kudos already, I appreciate your love so much. Alot of tension in this chapter and of course the much anticipated moment ;).  
Ok just read it I don't want to spoil it.

You were pacing your room, cursing away in Romanian as Natasha watched on, quite comfortable on your bed. After Tony had dropped that lovely bomb on everyone, you had immediately ran up to your room and locked the door, which you admit was a bit childish. Not that Steve had dealt with it any better, he'd rushed to the shed and found his bike, riding off into the night. Natasha had been ready to chew out Tony's ear, till he explained his logic.

“This is good Nat, we push them together and they'll have to sort out whatever it is between them." 

Scoffing at his words, Natasha retorted, “They'll either kill each other or they'll end up having sex.”

“Exactly.”

Natasha had come up to your room to calm you down and as she watched you pace, your expression one of pure annoyance she had a feeling it would be the latter. 

~

Steve had been speeding down the road, when he realised he was doing the exact same thing he yelled at you for. Turning back, he had headed straight to his room and taken out his frustration on his punching bag till he dropped onto the bed exhausted. 

The next morning, he was less than happy as he got ready. Part of his duty would be to ‘escort' you everywhere, and he honestly could not see himself lasting the week without snapping. When he was done, he trudged up to your room, straightening his shoulders and barely hiding his distaste as he rapped on the door. He wanted you to be late so he could chew you out over making him wait, already formulating the argument in his head when you opened the door. You had been ready for a while but since you could not leave the room without Steve, you had to wait. As soon as you heard the knock you had rushed to your feet, wanting to talk to Wanda about your predicament. You were becoming fast friends with the witch, she was comparatively more bubbly and energetic than you, and closer to your age. 

You opened the door to see Steve, hair wet from the shower and in a tight grey shirt. The shirt had no purpose, you did not know why he wore any, all of them stuck to him and left nothing to the imagination. Steve saw you standing here, his annoyance melting away when his glance shifted to your exposed forearm. Purple bruises stood out against your skin, and he realised he had caused those by gripping you too hard. He looked almost guilty, about to apologise when you rolled your eyes, walking past him down the stairs. The apology died in his throat as he huffed, for a second he had forgotten who you were. 

Rushing after you, he saw you already seated at the table, talking to Natasha in hushed tones. Steve was the last to enter, and he took a seat directly across you. This made Wanda's head snap up to send you a questioning look. Shaking your head slightly, you signalled that you would update her soon. Focusing on your breakfast, you were quickly done with your meal. You saw Steve still eating, and the petty part of you wanted to get up and make him leave his meal in half. Yet you stayed on, talking to Natasha and keeping one eye trained on his plate. As soon as he finished, you stood up and he followed suit. Walking up to your room, he followed a few paces behind you, watching you enter yours before going into his. Both of you let out a groan behind the closed door, this was already difficult. 

Suiting up, you paced your room, waiting for him to knock so he could take you to the training room. When you heard the knock, you again rushed to the door. A part of you was dreading to walk all the way to the training room in silence, and you would drop dead if he tried to speak to you. Luckily, Wanda was coming out of her room and you caught her eye. Rushing to you, she nodded at Steve, grabbing your hand and pulling you ahead with her. Sending a glance back, you saw Steve content hang back as Wanda started to whisper, “What is going on? Why are you and the Captain suddenly inseparable?”

“He started to complain that I was a liability, and that I needed to be observed at all times. Tony assigned him the job and now he's been following me everywhere. I am going insane." You whispered back, and watched Wanda cover her mouth, eyes crinkling as she tried to hold in her laughter.

One look back at Steve following you two shattered her resolve as she broke out into peals of laughter, almost doubling over as you entered the training room. You rolled your eyes at her as she tried composing herself, turning to see Natasha, Vision and Tony all huddled together, talking to someone. They all turned to look at Wanda, who was still giggling and you saw Sam standing there amongst them. He must have arrived after breakfast you deduced, watching Steve rushed past you to greet him. 

“(Y/N), you'll be sparring with Sam today, you know the regular routine. Just hand to hand combat. Got it?" Tony said and you sent him a nod while Steve and Sam turned to look at you. You made your way to the middle of the room, stretching slightly as you waited for Sam to come to you. Tony and Steve made their way up to the observation room and everyone else started their regular training. Sam stood in front of you, cracking his knuckles and asking, “Ready?”

As soon as you nodded he rushed at you, fists clenched. He aimed two quick punches at your head and then one at your stomach which you dodged, sending a kick to his chest. He caught your foot, and you struggled for a second before twisting and sending a roundhouse kick to his head. He let go upon impact and you sent another kick to his chest, shoving him back a few metres. You saw something shift from the corner of your eye, and looked up to see Steve move closer to the glass. This distracted you, and Sam took this opportunity to kick your legs out from under you. As you fell, you manipulated your body so that you twisted into a backflip. Landing on your feet, you were now annoyed that you let yourself lose focus in the middle of the fight. 

Breaking into a run, you jumped as Sam aimed another kick at your legs, hands finding their way around his throat as you slammed him to the ground in a chokehold. He struggled against your iron grip, trying to break free but to no avail. Just as his vision was about to go black, you let go and stepped away, Tony rushing down along with Steve. Tony was full of compliments and you only half listened to what he had to say, watching how Steve helped Sam up and checked to see if he was okay. His concern was brushed off by Sam who walked up to you with a smile on his face. 

“You fight well." He said, his tone sincere and you smiled. 

“I hope the chokehold wasn't too much." You replied, a hint of mischief in your tone.

He let out a chuckle before replying, “I'll be okay.”

Steve watched you two interact with a slight scowl, everyone seemed to like you which was beyond him. They found you charming, which you were with everyone except him. You were as cold as ice with him, and he was the one stuck watching you. Steve was too stubborn to acknowledge that he had a hand in your frosty behaviour towards him, that he was not exactly friendly either. He rolled his eyes as he saw Sam chuckle, and you smiled, your features lighting up and eyes sparkling. He felt a pang in his heart, reminding him of the time before the serum when he had regular chest pains along with a plethora of other diseases. Yet he could not be having chest pain now, not after the serum. Frowning, he pushed away thoughts of your smile and headed back up with Tony as he started the simulation. 

You stood ready, armed with your trusty daggers and Sam had two knives. A part of you was getting tired of the same figures everyday yet you steeled yourself, starting to fight. Everything was a blur of movements and you could tell you had a good rapport with Sam. He was a good fighter and soon the simulation came to an end. Tony came back down, smiling which you took as a good sign. “70 down, very good. You have a good dynamic with Sam but your score with Nat is still the highest. I might just pair you two in the upcoming mission. As for everyone else, training is over for today." 

Wanda and Natasha walked up to you, Wanda suggesting, “Lets meet up in the living room in a few.”

“What about Steve? He's supposed to be watching me and I'm pretty sure he wants to spend time with Sam.” You stated, gesturing towards the soldier who was deep in conversation with Sam. 

“I'll handle Steve." Natasha said, her tone self assured and you trusted her.

You started to walk upstairs, wanting to shower and change into something comfortable when you heard someone jog up to you. You did not need to look to know it was Steve and you groaned internally, knowing he would hate you more for pulling him away mid-conversation. You went into your room without a second glance, rushing into the shower. You knew Nat would fill Steve in with what you planned to do, you just hoped he would cooperate. After you were done scrubbing yourself clean, you dried yourself, changing into a dark blue v-neck and a pair of jeans. Just as you put on a pair of slippers, there was a knock at your door, and you opened it to see Steve there, along with Natasha. 

They had changed into more casual clothes, Natasha wearing a grey sweater and Steve in one of his tight t-shirts, this time a white one. Tearing your eyes away from Steve's chest, you looked at Natasha's smirking face as she started to walk. You both headed to the living room, Steve following and you walked in to see Sam and Wanda waiting. “I convinced him to spend time with Sam while watching you. " Natasha whispered in Russian, and you shook your head at her. 

Getting comfortable with Wanda and Natasha in one corner of the room, you watched Steve and Sam sit down on the couch. “(Y/N) hey, are you listening?” 

Wanda's words snapped your attention back to the redheads and you sent them a sheepish look. 

“What are they talking about? You can hear them can't you?" Asked Wanda and you looked at her surprised.

“I can hear them if I choose to, but I'm not going to spy on them." You replied, your tone hushed.

Wanda snickered and Natasha questioned, “Why exactly did you sneak off into the woods yesterday? I never got to ask.”

You saw Wanda looking equally curious and started to explain, “It reminded me a bit of home.”

Natasha nodded in understanding, Wanda still looking confused and you smiled softly, a faraway expression on your face as you spoke, “My home was in the heart of the Carpathian mountains you see, at the base of the range. Our house was the only one out there, a few miles away from Sibiu. My family had lived there for generations, surviving off the land and rarely going into town. It was beautiful, I grew up surrounded by pine forests and wildlife, the Carpathians a fitting backdrop. Then the Room took me away, and I never got to see my home again. I miss it deeply, and the woods around the compound reminded me of the days I would run barefoot in the forests around my home. I just had to go and feel the ground beneath my feet." 

You realised you had your eyes closed, picturing your home and Wanda sent you a supportive smile as you continued, “If only I could show you what it looked like, it was heaven on earth.”

“Actually, you can. I can tap into people's memories and see what they do. If you want me to that is." She said, rather hesitant since she knew it was a huge display of trust to allow her to essentially look into your brain.

You nodded and Wanda placed a finger to your forehead, and you closed your eyes, allowing yourself to fall into your past. You imagined the mountains from a birds eye view, lush green in the summers and carpeted with snow in the winters. You pictured the brook that ran in the pine forest, the fields of wildflowers in which you would spend all day weaving crowns. You remembered running in the forest, the scent of pine in your lungs as you practically flew past the trees, the cold air hitting your cheeks. When Wanda pulled away you saw she had a tear in her eye. 

“What's wrong?" You asked immediately, worried that you had inadvertently hurt her.

“I can see why you miss your home so much, it is breathtaking (Y/N). I felt a fraction of the longing you feel for your home and I can't believe you are so composed all the time. Someone else would go insane.” Said the witch earnestly and you sent her a wry smile.

Natasha covered your hand with hers, knowing how emotional you would get over your home, she had been the one to wipe away your tears for years. Her tone was light as she spoke, “Don't worry, (Y/N) will give us the full tour when we go to her home."

You nodded at her words, shifting on to lighter topics and soon you all were laughing away together. While you all had started speaking, Steve had been completely ignoring Sam and kept turning to look at you. Exasperated after a full ten minutes of trying to get Steve's attention Sam finally snapped, throwing a pillow at the super soldier. As Steve turned to face Sam, confused and slightly annoyed, Sam spoke immediately, “Man what is going on? I've been trying to talk to you and all you're doing is looking at (Y/N). You even followed her out of training. Is something going on-"

He was cut off immediately with Steve's protest, “Nothing is going on between us. She's making my life a living hell.”

Sam gestured for Steve to continue and he leaned back in his seat, starting to go off about you and relay the events of the past few days to Sam, who listened attentively. The situation reminded Steve a bit of an annoyed patient ranting to their therapist, and he finished, “So now I have to watch her.”

“So what's the problem?" asked Sam, and this question made Steve sit up in shock.

“What do you mean what’s the problem?”

“Exactly what you think. She doesn't seem like a bad person, I like what I've seen of her so far. Besides you're complaining about watching a woman that looks like a runway model and the physical manifestation of the Agent Provocateur wet dream." Sam stated, his tone matter-of-fact and Steve groaned at his words.

“Don't act all high and mighty Cap, it's not like you haven't noticed her." Sam retorted as Steve stubbornly shook his head.

“The only thing I've noticed about her is that she isn't telling us everything, there is definitely something she's hiding." 

“Maybe it's not what you think.” 

“Maybe it's exactly what I think. Anyways, I'm not here to talk about (Y/N) because she does not matter. Tell me whats been going on with you." Sam smirked at Steve's attempts to change the conversation, not believing a word the super soldier said in his own defence. 

~

Heading for dinner with Natasha and Wanda, you could tell something had happened between Steve and Sam, they were quiet, Steve's expression stony. Taking your seat you watched how Sam elbowed Steve as he sat down, who in turn glared at him. Something was definitely going on. You were distracted from your mini investigation when Tony sauntered in, and you sent him a smile. Everyone started to eat in relative silence and you of course were done with your dinner early. Surprisingly enough, Steve was done as well- he had lost his appetite after Sam's words. 

He had been trying to push them away since he heard them, yet they kept coming back to bite him and it irritated him extremely. And looking at you was not helping, you were smiling and laughing, the glare reserved for him nowhere to be found and it made him uncomfortable. He did not want to let his guard down around you, especially after Sam's words. 

You got up to leave the table, Steve standing up abruptly. He looked practically incensed and curiosity got the better of you, “Did something happen between you and Sam?”

He could not believe you asked him, it was almost like you knew everything and were teasing him. To him, your tone was sardonic and irreverent and all his pent up confusion and rage came out as he thundered, “Maybe you should mind your business. Don't think that because I have to watch you that we are friends.”

His harsh words riled you up, what was his problem? He hated you when you were rude, he hated you when you attempted to be nice. Stopping, you turned to look him in the eye and hissed, “Maybe you should've minded your business and not come looking for me yesterday. And then maybe you should have stayed quiet and we wouldn't be stuck like this." 

“I don't trust you! I think you'll cut your losses as soon as we enter a real mission and you realise exactly how much risk we take for others. You wont jeopardise your safety for Natasha, let alone a stranger." 

He had yelled at you, and you now lost whatever semblance of patience you had and screamed back, “If you have so much of a problem why don't you kick me off the team?”

“I would've if I had the choice. We don't need a murderer.”

His words burned through you and you saw red. Your hands ignited, two fireballs ready to incinerate him as you snapped, “Okay that's it.”

Suddenly you heard Tony yell, “Break it up both of you!”

Vision and Sam pulled back Steve, who was in a fighting stance, and Natasha came to stand in front of you, hands raised as she started to whisper in Russian. You immediately extinguished your flames, starting to take deep breaths. Tony barged up to you, placing himself in between you and Steve before saying, “What the fuck is your problem? Is this how team members behave?" 

“It's all her, she has it out for me-" Steve retorted yet went quiet when Tony raised his hand, calling for silence.

"If you two are fighting with each other, you put the whole team at risk. Not to mention yourselves. You become an easy target for anyone. Tomorrow we are dealing with whatever the fuck this is." He gestured wildly at you two before storming off to his room. 

Natasha escorted you to yours, trying to speak to you yet you slammed the door shut, not in the mood to speak. Dropping onto the bed, you took a pillow and screamed into it, letting out all your anger. Never had someone aggravated you so much, not even in the Room. Sleep came fitfully to you that night, on edge to see what Tony had planned for you tomorrow.

~

Steve had not slept well, his argument with you replaying in his head. Sam and Natasha had chewed his ear off after you had gone to your room, going off about how he had been treating you unfairly. He had been bull headed as usual, till Natasha said he was being the one thing he hated the most- a bully. That had sent him reeling, and he had stormed off to his room. Then he had sat and thought for a long hard moment. 

It was true that he did not trust you, and while he was far from giving you the benefit of the doubt, he realised he could have been less hostile. Natasha's words echoed through his ears, ‘She's left all she's known to join us, to help people. You behaving this way is only going to put her off more and more from the right path, and you do not want her on the enemy line.' Everything she said had made sense, yet you somehow put him off. 

The truth of the matter was that he was at war with himself. He wanted to get close to you yet he was wary of you, he wanted to stay away yet he was curious and most of all he wanted an outlet for his pent up frustration. He had to control himself all the time, even more so around you and the fact that you haunted his dreams did not help. He had been training after everyone fell asleep in attempts to get rid of some of his tension, not that it helped. Despite everything, Tony was still making him watch and escort you, and this unnerved him. He was sure Tony had some sort of ulterior motive but he could not think about it now. 

All he knew was that no matter what, yesterday had been his fault and that for the sake of the team he had to apologise, even if only for his outburst. The rest he still justified somehow as him looking out for everyone. 

He had gotten ready with a purpose, thinking of what to say to you as he got ready. You were more sluggish, sleep had not been restful and you were still angry at yesterday's events. You were full of rage and could not alleviate it, no matter what. Your whole routine of burying away any sort of emotion was not working, to disastrous ends. Your magic was out of control, having accidentally burnt a pillow of yours and snapping your door's handle when you pushed it too hard. You had fixed everything to the best of your ability, but you needed an outlet soon enough, feeling like a tiger trapped in a minuscule cage. 

As you got ready, you decided to change directly into your bodysuit, planning on heading to the training room right after breakfast and destroying a few targets. Tying away your hair, you cracked your knuckles, ready for whatever Tony had planned. What you were not ready for was the knock on your door. Opening it, you saw Steve standing there and your blood ran cold. Immediately composing yourself, you waited for him to step aside so you could walk down to breakfast, yet he stood still. You sent him a glare, frowning as he opened his mouth, clearly not in the mood for another argument and what he said shocked you, “I wanted to apologise for yesterday.”

“Pardon me, what?" You asked, sure you had just hallucinated, there was no way he could have apologised to you after treating you terribly since the moment he saw you.

“I-I, I’m-" He struggled with his words and you rolled your eyes, of course he was having a difficulty admitting his mistake.

“You know what. Save it." You countered, walking into the dining room and nodding at everyone. 

Steve let out a frustrated grunt, annoyed again. You were making it quite difficult for him to admit he had been wrong. He noticed how everyone was on edge around him, even Sam and this frustrated him. Meal times had been a fun affair, before you came that is. As soon as you were done with your food you got up, informing everyone that they could find you in the training room. Not waiting for Steve to follow, you rushed out, catching Sam chide, “Let her go Cap, she needs to be alone.”

Walking into the training room you started stretching, before starting to sprint. It was an attempt to get rid of some of your restless energy, and when that did not work you tried cartwheels, backflips and handstands. When nothing worked, you tried to focus and perform a ballet routine from the Room, but try as you might, you kept stumbling. Letting out a frustrated groan, you tapped in an order and targets appeared at the end of the room, along with a row of daggers. You picked up a dagger and started throwing at the target's heads, each hitting dead centre. Just as you were about to throw the last one, you saw everyone walk into the training room, and looking Steve dead in the eye you threw the dagger, not having to look at the target to know it landed between the target's eyes. You saw Steve flinch before steeling himself and saw Tony call you to him. 

Walking up to everyone, you noticed that none of them were starting their training and this confused you. Before you had a chance to ask, Tony spoke, “We all have had to deal with you both being at each others throats since the moment (Y/N) joined the team, and frankly it's getting ridiculous." 

His words made you lower your head, waiting for the inevitable reprimanding yet it never came, “Steve I cannot believe you are being so unprofessional. You are supposed to be Captain of the Avengers, but because you just have to be a bitch, I'm the one making shit happen. We need to fix this and now. (Y/N) you'll be fighting Steve today. No magic, and he won't have his shield. We'll all be watching, if it gets too bloody we intervene.”

You and Steve both looked at Tony if he was serious, not believing what he was saying. After everything you and Steve had done, the last thing you expected was permission to fight him. “Beat the shit out of each other. Then when I say stop, you stop. Enter the simulation and take down the figures, all that jazz." Tony declared, turning and walking up to the observation room. 

Natasha sent you a nod, Wanda a smile as they both joined Tony, Vision following. Sam clapped both your backs sniggering, “Good luck guys." 

You watched him climb up the steps before turning to face Steve. This was really happening. You started to circle each other, still waiting for someone to swoop in and stop you both. You glanced up at everyone and when you saw Tony not at you, you knew this was the best way to take out your anger. Steve must have happened upon the same conclusion, starting to rush towards you. You dodged his swipe at your head, jumping up when he kicked at your legs. He aimed another punch at your head, which you ducked before uppercutting him. He did not anticipate this and your fist hit his jaw in a satisfying crunch, the sound music to your ears. As you smirked, you missed the whack he sent to your stomach and you went hurtling, colliding against the wall as he nursed his jaw. 

He was very strong, more importantly he was angry. It was a good thing you were too. Rushing towards him, you instinctually went for his neck. He had observed you fight, knowing you would attack his throat and he stepped away from your swipe, grabbing a hold of your hair, pulling tightly and slamming you to the ground. This enraged you to no end and as your hair fell loose from its tie you kicked him in the ribs. You smiled when you felt impact, not waiting for him to recover and swiping at his neck, your nails grazing his skin and leaving a row of angry red scratches. This fight was animalistic, vastly different from how you both fought normally, something that was not lost on the observers. 

“Is it just me or does this look less like a fight and more like some fucked up foreplay?" Voiced out Sam, and everyone's smirks confirmed his suspicions. 

Steve's hand immediately went to his neck, feeling the scratches you gave before letting out a growl and lunging at you. He tackled you, pinning you to the ground as he straddled you, leaning in close and whispering harshly, “You did not just scratch me.”

You would be lying if you said your current position and his voice did not affect you, feeling a deep lurch in your stomach, yet you had to concentrate. You struggled to get him off you, he had your arms pinned above your head as he straddled your waist, leaning forward to have his weight keep you down. An idea struck you and as much as you hated it, you had no choice. Scrunching your eyes shut, you headbutted him, hearing the crunch as your head collided with his nose. His hands immediately let go of yours, flying to his nose as you took advantage of this newfound freedom, pushing him off you. Springing up, you tried to control the ringing in your head as you looked at your wrists, they were red from his grip. He stood up and your eyes widened, his nose was bleeding. 

A sadistic part of you felt immense satisfaction at seeing him bleed. Another thought hit you, he knew you always went for the throat, you had to attack elsewhere. It hit you that he was used to his shield, thus obviously more experienced in upper body defence. Running towards him, he prepared himself, knowing you would go for his throat. You kicked him in the legs. As he fell, you could not help yourself and aimed a punch at his face, watching it collide and push him down on the ground. As you stood over him smirking, you let your guard down, and he kicked your legs out from under you. You joined him on the floor, about to get up and bite his head off when you heard Tony call out, “That's enough both of you! Get up, I'm starting the simulation," 

You jumped up, feeling a dull ache in your stomach as well as pain in multiple areas. Steve got up, wiping away at his bleeding nose and grabbing his shield and you got your daggers. As you started to fight, you immediately felt the burn in your muscles. Trying as to take down as many figures with your daggers as possible, you finally gave up and started to throw fireballs. Remembering Wanda's training, you focused your anger and started to throw energy blasts, decimating the targets. She was right, it was very cathartic and helped get rid of your pent up rage and you watched Steve slam figures to the ground, snapping necks and throwing his shield at the approaching simulations. For a man who did not like killing, he sure looked good doing it, despite the bleeding nose. Both of you fought completely detached from each other, focusing only on your own targets and not taking them out for each other as you had done with the other team members. Still, you had to have a higher count than Steve, fighting harder.

When the simulation ended, both of you stood panting, your fight had taken a lot out of you both. You watched Tony walk down with everyone else, his face impassive and you dreaded you had done something wrong. He stood in front of you quiet, before breaking out into a smile. “Very good (Y/N), quick thinking with the headbutt and for going for his legs. As for the score, it's an 85. Looks like you have a new partner for the mission.”

Your eyes were about to pop out of your head, Tony could not be serious. When Wanda tackled you into a hug, you inhaled sharply, your stomach letting out a sharp stab of pain. Captain America had managed to fuck you up pretty well. Not that it mattered you thought, smirking internally. You had given him a black eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y'all enjoyed the chapter, finally the two beat each other up. Your comments and kudos are my lifelines, don't hesitate to drop a comment to let me know what you thought or to provide constructive criticism. See you all next update lovelies!


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I am so grateful for your amazing feedback for the previous chapter, it literally made me so happy that you all liked the chapter a lot. Honestly wish I could give a kudos to all of you.  
Without further ado, here's the chapter!

Everyone decided to head out into the lawn, despite the fact that you wanted to do nothing more than take a cold shower after your highly charged fight with Steve. You were pointedly avoiding eye contact with him and he seemed to be content in looking in any direction but yours. Both of you had relieved your pent up anger to some extent, yet as a consequence you were now full of sexual frustration, which you mislabelled as restlessness. 

Wanda and Vision started to lounge on grass and you smiled at their intertwined forms. Natasha and Tony seemed to be muttering something to each other and you looked at them suspiciously, something was definitely up. Steve and Sam were in another corner, also furiously whispering away and you felt like the biggest seventh wheel in history. Your heartbeat was erratic, you felt flushed and you knew it had to do with your fight, but refused to believe it was close quarters with Steve that had this effect on you. Sitting down on the grass cross legged, you started to breathe deeply, calming yourself. As you started to float upwards, Wanda sat up with a start, leaving Vision startled. “You can fly?" she asked incredulously.

“Technically I can float and propel myself. Its less flying and more manipulating the wind to make me levitate and move me." You replied, scrunching your eyes shut in concentration and smiling when you heard Wanda giggle, you were making her float too.

Once on the same height as you, she got into the same pose you were in and started to breathe slowly like you. This made you smile. You were glad she was on the team, your powers overlapped a lot and there was so much you could learn from each other. The fact that she managed to remain so friendly and happy after everything that happened to her endeared her to you even more. You felt yourself slipping into the role of protective big sister, like Natasha had for you. 

Odd as it was, you felt yourself slipping into familial relationships with every team member, Natasha of course was your sister, Tony like a protective older brother and Vision that one zany uncle who was drugged out at every family reunion. Even Sam and you were becoming fast friends, his fun personality rubbed off on people and you could not help but crack jokes with him. You were surprised you were attaching yourself to these people so quickly, but then again they were all pretty amazing. Steve was the only one you were detached from, for obvious reasons. 

Since the weather was nice, Tony decided everyone should have lunch out on the lawn. You snapped your fingers, making a table and chairs appear and you all sat down. Steve was still across from you and it was an olympic feat not looking at him, yet you somehow accomplished it. Just as you were about to be done with your food, your ears perked, you heard a car pull up in front of the compound. “Someone's coming." You said to Natasha in Russian, and she raised a questioning eyebrow. 

You watched as a sole figure made its way onto the law, striding purposefully towards you all. As the figure got closer, you realised it was a blonde woman in grey pants, a pink dress shirt and a grey blazer. You saw movement out of the corner of your eye, turning to see Sam elbow Steve as he sat up straighter as the woman approached. “That's Sharon Carter." Natasha murmured to you and you nodded. 

Just as she reached the table, Steve stood up abruptly and went to her, sending her a smile that gave you chest pain for some reason. Of course he was nice to her. Her gaze turned to Steve’s eye, which was slowly turning purple and you knew by night it would be black. You saw everyone else get up and followed suit, standing back and leaning against your chair, arms crossed and watching as Tony went up to her asking, “What brings you here Agent?" 

“Its Fury. He said the mission's been moved up, you all have to strike tomorrow at 0600 hours." She said, her words causing everyone to worry.

“Did he give a reason why it's been moved up?" Steve asked, and Sharon nodded, handing him the file she was holding. 

You saw their hands graze as he took the file from her and stiffened instinctually. Natasha and Wanda both noticed this gesture, sending each other a look. Sharon's gaze turned to you, looking confused for a second before asking, “Are you the new recruit?”

You nodded and she looked surprised, “Oh wow. I thought you'd be older." 

You did not know what she meant by that so you just shrugged, sending her a tight lipped smile. 

“Well, I should go now. Contact Fury if you have any questions." She said to Tony, nodding at everyone and turning to leave. 

“Wait, Sharon why don't you stay for dinner?" Steve offered, and you had to resist rolling your eyes. 

“Thank you but no, duty calls I'm afraid. Good luck for tomorrow!" She declined, smiling politely and sending you all a small wave, heading back to the compound. 

You saw Steve watch her go like a puppy dog and you muttered in Romanian, “Hold me before I throw up."

Natasha heard this and turned to you, a smirk on her face. Her expression baffled you, and when you looked at Wanda, you saw her wearing the exact same one. “I'm surrounded by idiots." You muttered, walking away to look at the file that was now in Tony's hands. 

“Alright everyone, head inside. I want you all to tuck in early and be ready tomorrow morning. Ill be debriefing everyone at 5:30 and giving everyone their tasks." Stated Tony and you all nodded. 

Steve hung back, not escorting you in since he had to discuss mission plans with Tony, which you were grateful for, you did not want to face him. Wanda grabbed your hand, pulling you inside along with Natasha, taking you into her room. It looked decidedly more lived in than yours and you could tell she had a hand in the decor. She flopped onto the bed, Natasha making herself comfortable on a beanbag and you flopped onto the fur rug on the floor. “What exactly was that in the lawn (Y/N)? Were you jealous?" Natasha asked suddenly, leaning forward, her tone teasing.

You could see Wanda smirking, and you acted like you had no idea what they were talking about. “Jealous? Of what?”

“Not what. Who. Sharon and Steve." Wanda said in a singsong voice, and you rolled your eyes, letting out a loud scoff. 

“I can't believe you'd even ask. Of course not." You said, trying to make your expression seem surprised.

“Liar!" Shrieked Wanda before throwing a pillow at you.

You made it stop inches away from your face, grabbing it and propping yourself up against it, sending Wanda a glare. 

“(Y/N) you know the Room trained us so we can catch a lie immediately. Besides I know you well enough to know you are lying sestra." Natasha said matter-of-factly. 

You smiled at her use of the word ‘sister' before taking a deep breath and speaking, “I am not jealous, just annoyed that he's nice to everyone and not me.”

“Well of course he'll be nice to her, her last name's Carter." Said Wanda before her eyes widening immediately, realising what she had said.

It was now your turn to interrogate her and all you had to do was send the redhead one questioning look and she explained everything. “So you're telling me he liked her aunt Peggy, and now he somewhat likes her." You reiterated slowly, watching Natasha and Wanda nod.

“Am I the only one who thinks thats slightly fucked up?" You asked, and Wanda let out a snort, burying her face in her pillow while Natasha pulled a slightly disgusted face. 

Her expression made you start smiling too, and the three of you were in peals of laughter when Steve burst in. “Wanda have you seen- Oh, um never mind.”

He froze completely when he saw the three of you in her room, he had been knocking at your door for five minutes to see if you were in and when you had not responded, he had opened the door to check. When he did not see you, he had immediately headed to Natasha's room, finding it empty too. Now panicking, he had rushed into Wanda's room to ask about your whereabouts, only to find you all laughing raucously, Wanda's face stuffed in her pillow, Natasha wiping away tears and you sprawled out on the floor. 

Seeing him you sat up immediately, subtly hiding behind Wanda's pillow. Steve looked like a deer caught in headlights as you all started to stare at him. Cursing the fact that he did not knock, he slowed out of the room and as he closed the door he could hear you three start to laugh harder. A small smile made its way to his face as he stood by the door, hearing you laugh, before he realised what he was doing and stepped away. 

“You like him." Stated Wanda as she observed you watching Steve leave and smiling to yourself.

When her words registered, you started to cough violently, pounding against your chest. When you calmed, you immediately started to protest, “No I do not. He wants to kill me, and I want nothing more than to slap some sense into him.”

“Don't you mean spank?" Natasha offered, both her and Wanda starting to giggle again. 

Rolling your eyes at them, you said flatly, “Very mature guys. Besides, we haven't even talked other than giving each other threats.”

“So what? A blind person could see the passion between you two." Insisted Wanda, and you shuddered at her words.

“Oh god no. On that note, I will be retiring to my room. I will see you both in the morning when you are hopefully thinking straight. Goodnight." You said, springing up and rushing out as Wanda and Natasha snickered after you. 

Despite their teasing your heart felt light, it was nice to be able to laugh out loud so freely. Heading into your room, you took a relaxing bath and changed into a pair of grey cotton shorts and a loose black t-shirt. Dropping onto your bed, your eyes closed immediately, a smile on your face. 

Your stomach was grumbling and it woke you up. Sitting up, you looked at the time, it was 2:30 in the morning. You knew you would not be able to sleep if you did not eat something and so you grudgingly got out of bed, wearing a pair of slippers and slowly opening your door. Poking your head out to see if the coast was clear, you started to walk down the stairs, careful to not make a sound, heading to the kitchen. You started to rummage around the cabinets, finding an apple and just as you were about to take the first bite, you heard someone come in. Turning, you froze when you saw Steve standing there in a white sleeveless shirt and grey sweatpants and you gulped. 

He had been asleep, when he heard a door open and then close. Shooting out of bed immediately, he had pulled on a shirt and rushed downstairs. He could hear noises coming from the kitchen, walking in to see you in shorts and messy hair, apple in hand. His eyes widened at your attire as you attempted to push hair away from your face. None of you said anything before Steve coughed awkwardly and said, “I heard a sound and so-" 

He trailed off and you nodded, holding up your apple and saying, “I was hungry." 

He nodded and you were about to take a bite when you saw him blinking and waiting, his eye a terrible black, making you feel guilty. Realising he was going to wait until you finished and take you to your room, you groaned internally, deciding to eat in your room and leave this awkward situation. Slowly making your way to him, you died when you saw he was standing next to the counter, with a fraction of space for you to cross by. Gingerly to turned sideways, facing him as you edged past before he realised what you were doing and stepped away hastily, and you thought you heard a low ‘sorry’. Pulling your shorts down lower and fixing your shirt subtly, you started walking up the stairs, using all your willpower to not turn and stare at him. Steve was not so lucky, he had the perfect view of your posterior as you climbed up the steps. He could not tear his eyes away and thanked the gods when he reached the top of the stairs. You stood in front of your room, about to step in when you turned back to him. He stopped, watching you hesitate before you said softly, “Goodnight." 

Not waiting for a response you went into your room and shut the door, leaving Steve alone in the hallway as he smiled and whispered, “Goodnight." 

~

Your eyes snapped open at 5, and you quickly got ready. Suiting up, last night's interaction made its way into your mind as you laced your boots. Steve's hair had been ruffled, his voice husky from sleep and it had sent shivers down your spine. Shaking your head, you cleared your mind from thoughts of Steve, relaying yesterday’s chest pain at his smile to be a heart attack while the shiver was nothing more than aching bones. 

Willing yourself to believe your bullshit, you tied your hair away from your face. Walking out your room, you went to the kitchen. Sam was there already, munching on a piece of toast, sending you a smile and throwing one your way. Catching it, you nodded your thanks before starting to eat. When you both were done, you started to walk out towards the landing pad in the law where the Quinjet was waiting. Stepping in, you saw everyone else in full gear, Natasha having her batons, Steve his shield and you had your daggers strapped to your back. Your eyes rested on Steve, who was in his Captain America suit. It clung to his broad chest, and you noticed he was wearing the helmet along with it, to cover his black eye. Wanda sent you a smile, and you went to sit next to her. Natasha handed you a banana, her expression strict. “I ate already." You hissed at her in Russian, yet her expression remained unchanged. 

Rolling your eyes, you peeled it, breaking it in half and handing a piece to Wanda. As you ate, Tony emerged from the front of the jet and started to speak, “The mission is simple. Hostages are apparently being held in a remote testing facility owned by the biological corporation Sabist. Our job is to infiltrate and rescue the subjects, before they are tested upon and shipped out. The facility will be heavily guarded and I need you all to be prepared." 

Tony stopped speaking and nodded at Steve who stood up. The jet started to take off, on autopilot as Steve tapped at a screen and a digital projection of the facility appeared. “These are the floor plans, as you can see it is quite extensive but luckily just one level. I want Wanda and Vision to infiltrate quadrant A, Natasha and Sam to take quadrant B. Tony will handle quadrant C, and (Y/N) will be in quadrant D with me. Stealth is key, we need to avoid violence as far as we can help it. Everyone try to search for the hostages or any plans that hint at what Sabist is up to and who they are working with. Any questions?” 

As he spoke, you listened attentively, realising he had left the biggest quadrant to himself and you. Tony and Natasha headed to the pilot bay, Sam following. Wanda and Vision were in a corner, seated next to each other, Wanda's head resting on Vision's shoulder as she whispered to him. You saw Steve reviewing the plans of the facility and after debating your decision, you walked to him. He saw you coming, turning to you as you stopped to stand in front of him. 

“Take off the helmet." You said, voice low.

Steve hesitated, not believing what you were saying and thinking he imagined it. When he saw you waiting expectantly, he warily removed his helmet and you winced when you saw his eye. The bruising had gotten worse, and it had swelled too, his stunning ocean blue iris barely visible. You reached out to him and he immediately went into a defensive posture. Raising your hand to let him know you meant no harm, you stopped your palm a few millimetres away from his eye, looking at him for permission. He leaned in a bit, your palm now covering the bruised eye. Trying to keep your breathing and heartbeat steady, you closed your eyes and concentrated, picturing your energy flow through you into Steve, washing over the wound you gave him. You heard him gasp slightly, and waited a few seconds before removing your hand and stepping away, letting out a smile.

His eye had healed completely, he caught his reflection on the window and when he turned to thank you, he saw your back to him as you walked into the pilot bay. He was surprised you had done this, it was so unlike how he thought you were. His fingers grazed his eye, it did not even hurt. Your touch had been feather light, hand ice cold against his skin. When you had healed him, his skin had tingled and the sensation made him gasp. He was glad the pain had gone, and your smile had made his heard pang again. He would have to take a visit to the med bay soon, maybe he was having palpitations. 

Tony winked at you as you entered the pilot bay before walking out to the seating area, and you heard him say, “How did your eye get fixed?" 

Natasha turned to you, a smirk evident on her features and you rolled your eyes, turning away from her to see Sam wiggling his brows at you from the control seat. “Fly the plane, bird boy." You snapped, and he snickered before looking ahead again. 

Deciding to camp out in the pilot bay till you landed, you took a seat next to Sam. Natasha headed back out too, and you watched her leave. “So tell me something about yourself." Sam said, eyes still trained ahead as he steered the Quinjet.

“What do you want to know? I'm an open book." 

Your words made him scoff before you corrected, “What do you want to know? Ask away.”

“Do you have any family? Parents or a sibling?”

“No. I was an only child and my parents were killed by Room associates when they took me." 

He turned to you, an apology in his eyes and you shook your head at him to let him know it was okay. 

“What’s your favourite colour?”

This made you laugh as you responded, “Black. Blue too.”

“Blue like Steve's eyes?" He asked slyly.

“Yes-I-I mean no. Don't put words in my mouth." You huffed, annoyed at how Sam was making you admit things you barely believed yourself.

“Why did you join the Avengers? I know you had the option to start over.”

“Well, partly because Tasha's the closest thing to family that I have so I had to be with her. Otherwise, I guess I wanted to test myself and see if I can actually be a good person." 

Swivelling in his seat so he faced you, he covered your hand with his, sending you a sincere smile and saying, “Hey, I've known you for the shortest amount of time and I believe you are a good person. You just need to believe it too.”

You smiled at him as he turned back to steer, sending you a wink. A few moments passed in silence before he said, “We're about to reach, could you head out and tell Tony, wait no tell Steve." 

You saw his mischievous expression, rolling your eyes and retorting, “I'll send Tony in right away.”

Walking out, you caught Tony's eye and he walked up to you. “Sam says we're about to land." 

Tony nodded, walking towards the pilot's bay and you were about to follow when you heard Natasha call out to you. Walking to where she was seated, you took a seat next to her, Steve nowhere to be seen. “Nervous?” She asked, her voice low.

You took a moment to think, before shaking your head no. “I trust myself and my abilities." 

You also had faith in Steve's fighting skills, he would be deadly in the mission, yet this you did not say to the redhead. Speak of the devil, Steve appeared along with Wanda and Vision, and Tony came out along with Sam. “The jet is going to be on autopilot and hover here with invisibility cloaking, we will drop down on the roof and when its time for extraction, we all head back to the roof and the jet will come down to us. Make sure to be at the roof on time." Instructed Tony and you saw Wanda take a deep breath. 

You sent her a supportive smile and she sent one back. “As for landing on the roof, Vision will take Wanda down, Sam will take Nat and Tony can take (Y/N)." Said Steve and you shook your head at his words.

“I can float, you can’t. Tony should take you. I'll come down myself." You said, not even facing him as you spoke. 

You healing him had been a deeply intimate moment for you since you had never healed anyone. That along with the incident in the kitchen left you confused, and those damn mini heart attacks whenever you looked at him were getting annoying. “Okay. Tony, you take me down." 

The door of the Quinjet opened, cold air rushing in as Sam made his suit open up the wings, holding on to Natasha and flying out. Vision carried Wanda bridal style as he floated out, making your heart melt. Tony grabbed Steve's shoulder as he wore his helmet, flying out and not giving him a moment to prepare. You walked to the edge, watching them fly downwards before stepping off and starting to hurtle to the ground. Focusing your energy, you twisted your hands and a gust of wind caught you, carefully making you float downwards. Staying focused, you made the wind drop you onto the roof and you landed on your feet, walking to where everyone else was. 

“Any sign of trouble, you immediately ask for help via this earpiece." Ordered Tony, handing one to each of you. 

You all walked to where the hatch was, twisting it open to see a ladder leading down into the dark. “I'll go first." Steve volunteered, climbing down the dark tunnel. 

A few moments passed before you heard his voice in the earpiece saying, “It's clear. Come down." 

Tony went down next, then you followed. Natasha was after you, then Wanda and Vision, Sam closing the hatch behind him. You all had landed in a pristine white hallway, and from what you gathered, it was in the middle of the building. “Head to your specific quadrants. Good luck." Said Steve, nodding at everyone and starting to walk down the hall. 

You were about to follow when Tony caught your arm. Turning to him, you saw his helmet move away, exposing his face as he looked you in the eyes and said, “Be careful kid. I know its your first mission, but I know you'll do well. Make me proud, and don't fight with Cap.”

His words made you smile, and you nodded at him before chiding, “Be careful. I can't have my mentor dying on me so soon."

Your words clearly affected him, yet he tried to cover it up, rolling his eyes and walking away in the opposite direction. You send everyone a nod, Natasha smiling at you as you both placed your hand above your heart. It was a tradition for you both, you always did it in the Room to show that you loved each other, to convey all messages of care and concern. Turning to Steve, you jogged down the hallway to catch up to him. When you reached his side, you matched his pace. He had a small digital map in his palm which he kept referring to, making one turn or the other. He spoke suddenly, “Thank you for healing the eye." 

Your eyes widened, you turned to him to see him still engrossed in the map. “Don’t mention it." 

This interaction surprised you, and you kept walking until you both reached a sharp turn. Steve was about to walk when you heard footsteps. Without thinking, you shoved your hand against Steve's broad, and might you add firm chest, pushing him back and raising your finger to signal him to wait. He sent you an annoyed look, about to move when a man walked past you two, papers in hand. You waited till he was out of sight and you could barely hear his footsteps before you removed your hand from his chest. He sent you a nod before starting to move down the hall. You both were on your toes, for now the objective was to avoid confrontation and just figure out what was going on. You reached a dead end, and Steve groaned, “We have to turn back, this is no good.”

“But we saw that man come down from this direction, so there has to be a hidden door somewhere." You retorted, brows knitting in concentration as you stepped forward, starting to scan the wall to check for a button or contraption that would open up a path. 

As you reached out to touch it, you saw your hand go through it and your eyes widened as you whispered, “It's a hologram, there's something on the other side.”

Before Steve could say anything, you stepped through. You emerged into a large laboratory of sorts, pristine white with vials of bubbling liquids on the counter. You saw Steve step in, clearly angry that you had not waited. You walked to one of the vials, picking it up to examine it closely. Putting a stopper on it, you placed it in Steve's outstretched hand as he stowed it away in his pocket. “Let's leave." He said and you shook your head.

“Something's wrong, they wouldn't have a hologram just for the formula." You said, walking forward when you accidentally tripped over a wire. 

To stop yourself from falling, you put your hand against the wall to steady yourself. Instantly, the wall changed and you stepped back, as the white blended away to show a glass wall. Behind it were children, huddled in a corner looking scared out of their wits. Steve was at your side now, and he waved, checking if the children could see you both or not. There were about fifteen of them, and none of them looked older than twelve. One child hesitantly got up, walking towards the glass and placing his hand against it, starting to tap. Steve caught the look on your face as you signalled for the child to step back. You waited till he was safely back with the rest of the kids and Steve said, “Maybe there's a code or something-“

“Yeah there's no need for that." You cut him off, voice cold as you barely contained your anger.

Balling your hand into a tight fist, you punched the glass as hard as you could. For a second nothing happened, before it shattered into a million pieces, an alarm starting to blare. The children rushed out, immediately hugging you and Steve as you stiffened. As they pulled away, you asked the one that had tapped on the glass, “What's going on here?" 

He was shaking, eyes full of fear and you took in their gaunt appearances. Their clothes were tattered, they were shivering and they looked starved. It made your blood boil. “Hey, it's okay, I'm here." You said, tone comforting as you sent him a smile. 

He started to speak, but it was not in English. You caught a few words and realised it was Urdu and let out a deep breath. This was going to be difficult. You repeated your previous phrases in Persian and the boy seemed to understand bits and pieces. As he spoke, your anger kept increasing, Steve busy offering silent support to the rest of the kids. The alarm had stopped blaring, you knew soon there would be multiple guards rushing in to where you were. 

“Steve. We need to get them out of here. They're the test subjects. This is Sohrab, he's from Pakistan, he says the rest of the kids are from places like Iran, Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Palestine." 

You saw Steve's expression darken, he looked like he could kill someone, you knew you would kill someone. “He says they were taken from their country and put here. We-“

“Listen, we need to move right now, security would be here any moment and I don't want these kids caught in the middle of a shootout. Tell him we all need to move.”

Steve's words made sense and you nodded, relaying what he said to Sohrab and he signalled to the rest. Holding on to your hand, he nodded up at you and you started to move, taking up the front, the kids following you and Steve at the rear. He informed the rest of the team through the comm what was happening and they stated they would try their best to stop the guards from reaching you all. You still could not take any chances, staying vigilant as you made your way through the halls. 

As planned, Tony stood waiting along with Natasha in the middle of the building, Sending them a nod, you turned to Sohrab, telling him that he had to go with Tony and Natasha up to the roof and be rescued. You could tell he was hesitant, and you took his hand, crouching down to his level and telling him that you were going to protect him and that he had to trust you. He nodded, hugging you suddenly and you froze, before hugging him back. Making a ladder appear up to the tunnel to make it easier for the kids to climb, you nodded at Tony. He went up first, opening the roof door and the children started to climb up. When they were all up, Natasha started to follow before Steve said, “Wait. Take this.”

You saw him hand her the vial which she took, before you smiled, “Godspeed sestra." 

As she went up the tunnel, you made the ladder disappear. The plan was simple now, Tony and Natasha would fly the kids to the nearest underground S.H.I.E.L.D facility before returning, while you and the rest of the team took out as much information as possible. It would be Vision's job to immediately download as much data as possible and you were all instructed to take out the resistance. 

When you turned to Steve, you saw his expression was odd. He had been watching you interact with Sohrab and you had been gentle and caring, as much as you could manage. You breaking through the glass had been impressive, but you hugging the child had made Steve smile. You were about to ask what was wrong when your ears perked, people were headed your way. “They are coming." You said and Steve stood ready, gripping his shield. 

You went to stand next to him, removing your daggers from their halter and taking a deep breath. You saw the first guard run up to the edge of the hallway, firing his gun. The bullet was headed straight for you, yet you flicked it away with your dagger, watching it embed itself in the wall instead. He fired another, then another, and you flicked them away. Steve rushed past you, shield at the ready as he started to pummel the man. You saw as more started to appear and you started running towards them. You slashed at one's arm, and it was discerning to see blood after getting used to dematerialising simulation figures. 

You got over it pretty quickly, you were more than familiar with spilling blood, channeling your anger into the fight. You fell into a rhythm, stabbing here and slashing there, and soon there was a pile of bodies around you. The security guards were barely skilled fighters, mostly relying on their guns and thus you were without a scratch. Steve was beating the guards to a pulp as they crumpled to the floor, clearly you both were very angry and taking it out on them. You started walking down the hall, Steve at your side as you killed anyone you saw. Vision had spoken through the comm, stating that he had got everything and you both were headed to the where the rest of the team was to help escort them to the roof. 

As you reached to where they were, you saw it was a large storeroom of sorts with high ceilings and almost completely bare. Wanda grabbed on to your hand, Sam nodding at Steve as Vision floated towards you all. “Lets head to the roof, Natasha and Tony should be reaching soon." Ordered Steve, and you all nodded.

As you all turned to leave, you saw something shift out of the corner of your eye. You turned to see a whole battalion of security guards enter through the opposite end of the room. “You guys head to the roof, I'll hold them back." You yelled, getting into a defensive position. 

“Go! We'll join you." You heard Steve say as he came to stand next to you, throwing his shield at the approaching guards. It collided with one's neck with a sickening crunch, and he dropped dead. You and Steve ran towards them, meeting them head on. Your priority was not your life, it was to make sure the rest of the team reached the roof safely. You threw both your daggers forward, each embedding themselves into the heads of two guards. Now you started to use your magic, throwing attacks to encase the guards in blocks of ice, managing to make some levitate as you threw them against the walls. You watched Steve fight, and gods he made snapping necks look like the sexiest thing on the planet. 

Soon, the room was full of bodies and as you removed your daggers from the security guards corpses, you heard Wanda's voice through the comm, “We are on the roof, the Quinjet is arriving in two minutes, come on up.”

You turned to Steve, letting out a chuckle as you realised your first mission had been a success. He smiled too, you had fought good and perhaps some of his reservations about you joining the team had disappeared. Suddenly, he saw your face darken as you threw the dagger in his direction. His eyes widened, you were betraying and turning on him, just like he suspected. Instinctually, he threw his shield at you, watching it collide with your head as you dropped to the floor. He heard another thud behind him, whirling around to see your dagger deep in the chest of a security guard who had a knife in his hand, ready to stab Steve. 

His eyes widened as he realised what he just did and ran towards your collapsed form. The eyes that haunted him were shut, your body limp. He checked your pulse, it was still there before rambling in panicked tone, “Anyone there? (Y/N) is down. Hello?”

“We are here. Get her to the roof. What happened?” He heard Natasha say, her voice laced with worry.

Steve hurriedly picked you up bridal style, grabbing his shield and starting to run down the hallways. You were light as a feather and cold as ice, he observed fearfully. His head was running wild, he had still suspected you and while you had saved his life, he might have just ended yours. He reached where the tunnel was, strapping his shield to his back and throwing you over his shoulder before starting to climb. When he reached the roof, he saw two figures flying down, Tony landing onto the roof. He wordlessly took you from Steve, carefully brushing the hair away from your face before shooting back upwards. Sam extended his hand, Steve gripping it tight as he started to fly upwards. 

When they landed in the Quinjet, he saw you were laid across the floor, Natasha cradling your head as everyone surrounded you, Tony checking your vitals. Sam immediately rushed to the pilots bay, they had to get you to the medical wing in the compound as soon as possible. Steve watched as a tear slipped out Natasha's eye before he could not take it anymore. He rushed past, standing as far from you as possible. The scene replayed in his mind, your expression changing, you throwing the dagger and him his shield. The sound it made as it collided against your head, how you slumped to the floor. “Oh god she's bleeding. Tony she's bleeding." Natasha said, almost hysterical in her worry. 

“Keep pressure on the head, make sure she does not bleed out till we get to the compound." Ordered Tony, his tone full of restrained anger. 

“Wanda, can you try healing her? She taught you how." Asked Vision and Wanda immediately dropped to her knees. 

“She only just taught me how to heal myself, that too a needle prick, but I’ll try my best." 

Steve turned, watching as Wanda placed her hand against your head, shutting her eyes in concentration. She let out a frustrated groan, eyes opening and tears starting to spill as she choked out, “I can’t, I-I-” 

She stopped when she saw her hands covered in your blood, Vision sitting down next to her, wrapping an arm around her as she cried into his shoulder. Tony was quiet, watching all this happen before walking up to Steve, his voice low when he asked, “What the fuck happened? You were supposed to be watching her.”

Steve hesitated, about to speak when Natasha shouted from the floor, “Goddammit that's not important right now. When are we reaching the compound? She hasn't stopped bleeding." 

Steve looked at your limp form, the guilt killing him as he prayed you would hold out till they reached the compound, that you would be okay.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dramaaa am I right? I hope you all enjoyed it, do let me know what you think in the comments! Your kudos and feedback is much appreciated, see you lovelies next update!


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello babies! I am literally on the moon because of your amazing feedback, it honestly makes me so happy y'all like the story so much.   
Also I know Steve was a moron in the last chapter, it was honestly such fun to write.

Sabist had played a dirty game. Aligning themselves with the USA army, they had accompanied them on war missions under the pretence of providing medical aid to the soldiers. Instead, they had started taking local children and having them shipped back to their headquarters. There, the children had gone through multiple tests and trials in attempts to be forged into the perfect child soldiers, to be sold later to armies and organisations. 

Action against them had been immediate, all operations of Sabist had been ceased, the conspirators behind the scheme arrested and punished. The US government had jumped at the opportunity, making a huge display as they returned the children to their home countries as well as issuing official apologies, promising better future relations. 

That whole week had been quite hectic for all the Avengers- well almost all. 

~ 

(Flashback) 

“Hurry up! Get her out!" Natasha screamed, in hysterics as she was covered in your blood. 

The Quinjet had barely landed when Tony had flew you towards the medical wing, declaring it and emergency and having every available doctor and nurse attend to you. Everyone had been pushed out, saying that you were critical and that they needed to make your vitals stable. Steve had immediately stalked off, decimating targets till he had been pulled back to the team by Sam. 

“You need to tell us what happened. So we know exactly how to fix her.” Tony's voice had been uncharacteristically calm as he spoke, Steve seeing the team's expectant expressions.

This was going to be difficult. Taking a deep breath he had relayed the whole story, how you saved his life and how he had hit you with his shield. He was not done speaking when Natasha launched herself at him, first sending a punch to his face and wrapping her slender fingers around his neck, choking the life out of him as she hissed, “How dare you. How fucking dare you. She is my family, and you have been ridiculous with her from day one. I tried to give you your space, hoping you would change your mind about her but goddamn Steve, you just had to hate her didn't you? Don't forget she comes from the same place I came from, and if anything happens to her, I'll forget we were close and put a bullet between your eyes.”

It had taken both Vision and Sam to restrain her, Steve wheezing for air before Tony had come and sent a punch to his gut, walking off to inform the medical staff that you had been hit with a vibranium shield. Wanda had looked at him with disappointment, her eyes full of unshed tears for you as she walked off, leaving Steve alone with his thoughts, all of them blaming him.

~ 

You had been out cold all week, Natasha barely leaving your side. She had stared at your pale form on the bed, machines strapped to you to keep you alive. You baffled the doctors, having barely sustained damage despite the impact, yet still not waking up or healing. Every day Wanda would come see you, eyes shut as she tried to heal you, breaking down when she failed. Tony would be the one to pull Natasha away from you, convincing her to eat and sleep while he watched you. He would beat himself up for what happened to you, thinking that somehow his failures as a leader had led to your current predicament. Vision would be there with Wanda when she came to see you, hoping you would be okay. Sam would come in to tell you jokes, talking to you about his day in hopes you would wake up and laugh, reply with a sarcastic comment. 

Steve's guilt had been eating away at him all week, and he could not bring himself to see you. Your limp form haunted his dreams now instead of your eyes, you whispering ‘murderer' as you died in his arms. 

On the eighth day, he mustered up the courage to go see you. As he walked in, the first smell to hit him was that of medicine and antiseptic, a harsh scent that burned his nose. You had always smelled of roses and as he caught sight of you his breath caught in his throat. The gown barely stayed on your shoulders, hanging off because of how weak you had gotten. There was no colour to your face, just a deadly pallor. Nobody was with you, Tony must have dragged Natasha away to eat. Everyone on the team was cold with him, their eyes full of blame and he knew he deserved it. 

He walked up to the edge of the bed, taking a seat and just looking at you. You looked oddly peaceful, reminding him of the time he had observed you sleep in the Quinjet. Hesitating, he reached out to your hand, grasping it and shuddering when he felt how cold it was. It reminded him of his impact with the ice and made his blood run cold. 

“I am so sorry. You saved my life and I almost took yours. I'm sorry for treating you with suspicion, I wish I just had a bit of faith in you and none of this would have happened. If there was some way to heal you, I swear I'd try everything in my power. If you die I will never forgive myself." His voice broke as he spoke, gripping your hand tighter and not noticing everyone come in.

“She won’t die."

Natasha's voice made him turn, she stood there with the rest of the team and he let go of your hand, getting up and walking to them, his tone earnest as he spoke, “I know I made a mistake, and I am ready to accept the consequences." 

“Listen, I'm not saying what you did is forgiven, but for now its been put to the side. When (Y/N) wakes up she'll deal with you herself." Natasha spoke, and Steve heaved a sigh of relief.

“I will need you to start acting like a fucking leader now. You need to grow up, take responsibility and sideline whatever your little agenda against her is. I'm not saying you should both be best friends and stop your petty fights, but I swear to God if you for one second let your professionalism slip or hurt her physically I will blast your ass." Said Tony, and Steve nodded, aware he had to step up.

That night sleep came easier to him, knowing that his team was on better terms with him. 

When he woke up bleary eyed, he could tell something had happened. He hurriedly got ready, rushing downstairs to see Wanda, Vision and Sam in the middle of a very animated conversation. As soon as they saw him come in they all turned to him, and just one look at Wanda's face made him realise what had happened. 

“She's awake! She's finally awake!" Her words made his heart leap.

“Yeah, man it was close. Tony and Natasha are with her right now." Sam spoke, coming to clap Steve's shoulder as if to say ‘Congratulations you didn't kill her’.

Almost on cue, Tony waltzed in beaming, turning to Wanda and saying, “She's asking for you." 

Wanda nodded, rushing off to the medical bay, and Tony turned to Steve, “She's up but still a bit weak. The doctors are gonna keep her in for a while until they are sure she's okay. She did specifically request to not have you come see her.”

Tony's words did not shock him, yet they still stung a little bit. He knew it was his fault, he would just have to make it up to you somehow. 

Wanda walked in to see you sitting up, still pale and weak but awake. You were talking to Natasha and when you turned to see Wanda your smile widened. Wanda rushed to you, enveloping you in a hug. When she pulled away, you took her hand, looking her in the eye and saying, “Thank you. Thank you for helping me heal.”

You saw the redhead's eyes widen in surprise as she said, “I kept trying, I thought it didn't work.”

“It did. It was like small bursts of energy and life being pumped into me, too small for the doctors to notice at first. I was almost healed and then last night I don't know what happened, but it felt like I had touched fire. The energy and heat blazed through me and I woke up.”

Your words brought tears to Wanda's eyes, even Natasha dabbed at her eyes when she thought nobody was looking. “My two little sisters." She said, reaching out to hold Wanda and your hand and you smiled. 

While you still needed to heal, you were glad to be with such genuine friends who would be there to support you through the process. 

~

It took almost another week for you to be on the brink of getting discharged. Natasha and Wanda had attached themselves to you, bringing you food and staying with you almost all day. In between, Natasha had been called away for a mission, and those two days Sam had stayed by you constantly, making you laugh so hard your sides hurt. Vision had come see you multiple times, expressing his joy over your rapidly returning health. 

Tony had been the one difficult to handle. He barely made eye contact with you, still believing it was somehow his fault that you got hurt till you had instilled in him that it was not. He had patted your head, saying he had almost lost you and it warmed your heart. 

As for Steve, you did not want to see him. It was not like you hated him, this clearly had not been your first brush with death and it certainly was not going to be your last. You remember having almost all your bones broken back in your starting days in the Room, this was nothing compared to that. More than anything you were angry. Angry that he had not trusted you enough, that he had thought you would kill him. While there was no way you had forgiven him, you would not immediately exact revenge or punish Steve. Your efforts in being nice and polite were over, you had made lasting bonds with most of the team and you did not care to forge any with Steve anymore. 

Still, something deep down in you knew that you felt something for Steve, whether it was romantic or apathetic you still had to figure out. Pushing down the fact that you found him so attractive, you focused yourself. You were a bitch and it was time for him to see exactly what made you one of the deadliest products of the Red Room. 

You were itching for freedom by the fifth day, knowing you were much better. The pain had gone, there was no injury to show what had happened. You were full of restless energy, needing an outlet. When the doctors told you that you were free to go by the sixth day, you had jumped out the bed and rushed to your room. Stepping into the bathroom, you had taken a long shower, scrubbing yourself clean and washing away the previous events. Getting out you dried yourself, putting on a black cold shoulder turtleneck and a fitted skirt that ended just above your knees. 

Heading downstairs, you made your way straight to the dining room, knowing everyone would be there for lunch. Walking in, you heard Wanda squeal as she came up to you, grabbing your hand and saying, “I was just going to come to the med bay to see you.”

“They've let me go finally." You replied, seeing as Sam came up to you, Steve nowhere in sight.

“I have to leave today." He said and you pouted immediately.

“Stay on for a bit, I literally just got out." You pleaded and he nodded.

“Yeah, you can leave after we go back to the Tower." Said Natasha and he agreed.

You all took a seat, starting to eat when Steve rushed in, freezing when he saw you at the table. Natasha squeezed your hand supportively and you sent her a smile, continuing to eat. Steve awkwardly took his place at the table, clearing his throat before saying, “You're back.”

Looking to him you said in the most deadpan voice you could muster, “What a revelation, I had no idea.”

Your attitude shocked him, his eyes widening as you ate. “I'll be out in the lawn, care to join me (Y/N)?" Offered Wanda and you nodded, watching her walk out. 

Seeing as you were almost done with your food, Steve hurriedly ate his, hoping to catch you as you headed to the lawn and get a word in. When you were done you stood up, his eyes on you as he took in your attire and his heartbeat became erratic. There it was, that damn palpitation again. You sauntered out the room as Tony called, “Be ready by 6. We need to go back." 

Your hum was heard as you were out of sight, and Steve left his place, rushing out after you. He saw you walking down the hall in confident strides and called out to you, “(Y/N) wait. I need to talk to you.”

For a second he thought you would not stop but you did, turning to face him, “Yes, Captain Rogers?”

Your words threw him off for a second, you had never called him ‘Captain Rogers’, before he spoke, “I’m sorry for hurting you and doubting you. You've proved to me that you aren't a cold blooded assassin and that you deserve to be part of the team as much as anyone.”

You smiled, and he thought he was forgiven till you replied, “Yes. I do deserve to be a part of the Avengers, but you're wrong Captain Rogers. I am a cold blooded assassin. I've killed more people than you could count and guess what," leaning in closer to his surprised form you whispered, “I do not regret a single thing.”

As you stepped back, his face was almost comical in its surprise. “I think its best if I stay in my lane, and you stay in yours Captain Rogers, and we shouldn't have further problems." 

Sending him a saccharine smile, you turned on your heel, heading out to the lawn and leaving Steve sputtering. Wanda was waiting for you and you sent her a smile. You flopped down on the grass and she followed suit. You both looked up at the sky and you waved your hands, manipulating tiny clouds to form above both of you as it started to snow. Wanda stuck her tongue to catch the snowflakes and you closed your eyes, feeling them fall on your face and imagining that you were back home during the winter, where it would be white as far as the eye could see. 

You felt people walk up to you, cracking an eye open to see Sam and Natasha. “Join us." Wanda said, and the two lay down next to you.

As you started to make it snow on them too, Natasha asked, “What did you say to Steve? He looked like a mix between livid and traumatised." 

You let out a giggle, eyes closed and relishing the cold as you answered, “Just cleared up a few misconceptions thats all. I don't think he'll be problem anymore." 

You all stayed in the lawn for a while, Natasha bringing up the fact that Tony was keeping a small party in a few days to celebrate your return to health and the field. “That's all good, but I heard there is a recon mission happening two days from now.” 

Natasha hummed in response before speaking, “Yeah. Apparently a weapons deal is supposed to go down in a few weeks at the Roosevelt. The local orchestrator is going to be at Club 96 in two days and we have to go figure out the exact date of the deal, plus get as much information as possible.”

“Perfect. I want to be on the case." You replied, and heard Natasha cough.

“Are you sure you have the energy sestra? You just got well, and besides Steve's been assigned the mission along with me.”

“I'm absolutely fine, and like I said, Captain Rogers won't be a problem." You countered.

“Okay, if you're sure I'll talk to Fury." 

You all stayed like this for a while, occasionally speaking but mostly enjoying the relaxing silence. Sam's watch beeped, and you all got up, it was 5:30. Snapping your fingers, you made the clouds and piles of snow disappear, everyone heading inside to pack up their things. You packed away your clothes as well as your suit, heading out towards the Quinjet. Tony was the only one inside and you walked up to him. 

“Hey kid." He said, wrapping an arm around your shoulder.

“I want to be on the recon mission at Club 96." You said.

He looked down at you, letting out a chuckle and nodding and you sent him a toothy smile. 

“Also what's this I hear about you throwing a party?" You asked teasingly and he smirked.

“Just a small get together really, the night after the recon mission. To celebrate you getting better. Invited all the people you like, including Steve." 

“I don't like Steve." You snapped immediately, pulling away and seeing Tony's shit-eating grin.

“Oh of course you don’t, my mistake. Well then you wouldn't mind if Sharon Carter would be there, would you?" He asked.

“No. Not at all." You replied, lying through your teeth. 

Just because you pushed away your attraction did not mean you forgot about it. Everyone else filtered onto the jet, taking their seats as it started to take off. You could feel Steve's eyes on you and when you turned to look at him, he started to inspect the floor with avid interest. Rolling your eyes, you started talking to Wanda and Natasha and before you knew it you were landing on the roof of Stark Tower, just in time for dinner. As you got off, Tony called out, telling everyone to be in the dining room in ten minutes. 

It felt nice to be back in your room, and while you missed the view of the woods around the compound, the city's skyline was not disappointing either. Setting away your things, you changed into a comfortable pair of slippers and headed out to dinner. It felt good to have dinner with everyone again, all of you seemed to be having a good time, except for Steve. He was glowering in his seat, your words striking a nerve with him, yet he knew he had to try and be composed and civil. As soon as dinner ended, he had rushed to his room, eager to go back to his search and be alone with his thoughts.

Two days passed with ease, you mostly stayed in your room reading and taking it easy while Natasha briefed you on the upcoming mission. Fury had been more than happy to have you back on the field, still not knowing that had brought you down in the previous mission. At your request, you had made the team keep it a secret that Steve was the one who had injured you, which confused everyone including yourself. You could have easily complained about him and let him face the consequences and yet you had protected him. 

Evening hit, Natasha sending you a text telling you to start getting ready for Club 96. Knowing it was one of the best underground nightclubs in the city, you chose your outfit. When you were ready, you took the time to admire yourself. You had picked out a nude pink v-neck spaghetti strap crop top, pairing it with black leather jeans that looked painted on. Your gladiator heels were toppling, hair slightly messed and just the right amount of makeup on. Debating for a second, you put on a delicate chain necklace, fixing your hair and stepping out. You had your dagger stashed in case anything went wrong and if all else failed, your magic. You saw Natasha step out her room in a bodycon silver dress with a brunette wig on. You smirked and pretending to faint at her beauty while she sent a wolf whistle in your direction, causing you to wink at her. 

Heading to the elevator, Natasha pressed the button for the car park in basement 4. A limousine would be waiting to escort you all to the club, an agent inside to give you all a final brief. Getting off the elevator, you strode purposefully to the black limo, heels clacking against the concrete floor. As you got closer, you saw two figures emerge from the side of the car and your eyes widened, pupils dilating when you took in Steve. In a pair of jeans, tight white tee and a black bomber jacket with messy hair, he looked like sex on a stick. Looking away from him, you saw the agent was Sharon, dressed in another of her suits which looked rather drab according to you. She sent you a smile and you nodded at her, Natasha coming up to stand next to you. 

Steve had been the first one downstairs, annoyed that you had been included on the recon. He did not voice his concern, knowing Natasha would kill him if he did. Sharon had been waiting for him, sending him a smile and commenting how he looked nice. His moronic reply had been that she looked nice too, causing her to giggle slightly and blush. Before she could say something else, he heard the sound of heels against the floor, turning to see you walk towards him with Natasha. When you got closer he felt the palpitations return as he took in your outfit. Your toned stomach, clavicle and arms were all exposed, displaying your flawless skin as your outfit highlighted your shape. Your makeup accentuated your features, the heels making you almost reach Steve's height. You barely sent him a look, sending a nod to Sharon while Steve tried to calm his erratic heartbeat. Looking at you was awakening something carnal in him as he tried to suppress himself, Natasha catching his whole episode. 

“You're back on the field so soon after an injury, how nice Agent." Sharon said, walking up to you. 

“Yeah, God knows that employee had me for a second. But I'm perfect now, ready to take down evil and all that jazz." You replied airily, seeing Steve gulp as you brushed past the fact that he had been the one to put you out of the field. 

All of you headed into the limo, you next to the window, with Natasha next to you followed by Sharon and Steve next to her. Sharon handed Natasha a file, flipping it open and pointing out the target as Steve and you leaned in closer. The man in the picture was a short rotund creature wearing a white cowboy hat, reminding you of a little gremlin, but with the eyes of a weasel. You kept your observation to yourself as Sharon explained, “That's the target Boss Finley. He runs multiple operations in the south, including illegal property takeover. He has a small arsenal to help keep everything running but according to reports he's meeting Dobrivoje Poplovic for some bomb transaction." 

Hearing the name Dobrivoje Poplovic made you smirk, Natasha and you winking at each other. “Do you know him Agent?" Asked Sharon and Natasha shook her head.

“Not personally, no. One of his men was caught lurking around the Room headquarters by Natasha and me. Lets just say he was a very helpful participant in my first torture session." You replied, and Sharon nodded, clearly uncomfortable while Steve tensed. 

“As I was saying, the mission is to try and figure out the exact date of the transaction and what he'll be using the bomb for." Sharon said and you all nodded.

As the limousine pulled up to the club, Sharon handed you all passes to allow immediate entry into the club without waiting in line. “Good luck." She said to Steve, reaching out and holding his hand and he sent her a reassuring smile.

“Yeah who cares about us, we'll just die then." You muttered in Romanian, Natasha letting out a snort, composing herself when Sharon and Steve looked at you both.

Getting off the limousine, you all marched purposefully towards the club entrance, showing the bouncer your passes as he let you in, after taking in an eyeful of you and Natasha. Once inside, your whole surrounding changed. Loud music blared from the speakers as the DJ called out to the crowd on the dance floor, neon lights flashing in the dark. “Everyone split." Steve said and you nodded. 

Natasha headed straight to the dance floor, Steve headed to the secluded booths at the side to keep an eye out for Boss Finley. You headed straight to the bar, turning your back against the glass counter and looking over to the club. It was crowded and you could barely see Natasha as she swayed along to the music. 

You heard someone come to stand next to you, smelt cheap body spray that made your nose burn, turning to see the wearer. The man was wearing a silk red shirt, buttons open except for the last four, exposing his hairy chest and multiple gold chains. His skin looked flushed from too much alcohol, his hair defying gravity with how straight up it stood. The imbecile was also wearing sunglasses, inside in the dark at nighttime. “Hey there baby, can I buy you a drink?" He asked, leaning in closer as if attempting to poison you with his smell, a sleazy smile on his face. 

“No." You decided not to look at him anymore, instead staring straight ahead of you. 

“Don't be like that. Whose taking you home tonight?" He protested, inching even closer.

“Certainly not you." You remarked, starting to walk away. 

“Wait, this isn't over." He called out, holding onto your arm.

It took you all of two seconds two whip around and send a punch to his nose and a kick to his groin. As he doubled over in pain, you smiled and leaned back against the bar again. “Is there a problem (Y/N)?" You heard Natasha say through the comm.

“Nope. Took care of it." You replied, your voice bubbly.

“Two o’clock. Here he comes." Said Steve and you turned to see the gremlin walk in.

He was in a ridiculous white suit and matching suit, along with his infernal hat, multiple security guards flanking him. Natasha sent you a look before slowly making her way towards him as he headed to one of the private booths. He took a seat and you watched as two men immediately sat down next to him and they started to speak. You tried to strain your ears and listen to what they were saying, yet the music from the club was too distracting. 

Natasha, according to plan, had started dancing right in front of him, giggling loudly and perfectly playing the role of the blonde bimbo. You saw him look over her appreciatively as the men kept speaking. Concentrating, you tuned out the music and focused on the men. You could make out a few words and you saw Steve nearby as well. You saw Boss Finley call Natasha to his side and she started flirting with him, hand grazing his body as she leaned over to him. The Room had taught you all the art of seduction and using your feminine wiles should the situation arise. It would take moments before Boss Finley would be eating out of Natasha's hand. 

She was really laying it on thick and he was lapping it up like a puppy. They stayed like this for ages before you saw him stand up, handing Natasha a card and walking towards the exit. You immediately walked towards her, pushing past the throngs of people. Steve reached her as soon as you did, and she stood up smirking. “I've got it. Lets head back." 

You nodded, Steve looking relieved. “It'll take the pickup a few minutes to reach." He said and Natasha grabbed your hand, walking towards the bar.

“I'll be having a drink." She called back to Steve, who stood there watching you two head to the bar with an expression of disbelief. 

Were you both really serious? He watched as you both downed your drinks, thanking the gods when he heard his watch beep indicating the car was here. “Let's head back guys." He spoke into the comm, walking towards the exit.

You both joined him, the vodka slightly stinging your throat. The ride back to Stark Tower was mostly silent and as soon as you reached, you all headed up to Tony's lab. He was there waiting for you, wanting to know what you all had learnt. Natasha leaned against the wall, removing her wig as you dropped yourself onto a desk, Steve standing rigid. “Well? What did you learn?" Asked Tony, waving his hand and prompting one of you to speak.

“I caught him talking about some explosion to scare away townsfolk." You piped up, Tony's brows furrowing. 

“To me he talked about how he had an important party coming up that he had to attend, inviting me as his arm candy. He told me to give him a call." Natasha said and you say Tony typing down all the information.

“I heard him mention the Roosevelt Hotel." Steve chimed in.

“Perfect. The deal's probably going down during some party at the Roosevelt. I'll send all the information to Fury and have him corroborate it. Anything else?" Tony asked.

“Yes actually." Natasha spoke, and you raised an eyebrow. “Steve, (Y/N), could you both leave? I need to talk to Tony.”

Her request confused you, yet you nodded, heading outside with Steve. As soon as you both left, Natasha turned to Tony and said, “He likes her.”

Tony's expression remained the same as he spoke, “Took you long enough to figure it out. I knew it the day he saw her and threw a bitchfit."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the chapter, do let me know what you think in the comments. Your appreciation and kudos makes my day! See you next update lovelies!


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy guys, tis I. So I wanted to add a chapter before I go off on a trip so y'all have something to read. It was going to be longer but I thought why not split it into two parts (I also needed to pack and was being lazy).  
Also I cannot believe we are at 200 kudos I'm literally overjoyed thank you all so much for the love and support you all deserve hugs and gifts.  
Without further ado, enjoy!

Walking to the elevator with Steve was slightly awkward, especially since you both were equally curious about what Natasha and Tony were talking about. You had a hunch it was about you and this made you even more intrigued. Stepping inside, you pressed the button for your floor, knowing Steve was eyeing you. You knew you were getting under his skin and saw him about to say something as you reached your floor. Before he could speak you stepped out, walking away and sending him an irreverent salute. 

You could almost imagine his incensed expression as you kicked off your shoes, wiping away the makeup and changing into a comfortable pair of pyjamas. Tomorrow was supposed to be the small party Tony had kept and you were moderately excited. It would be good to relax for a bit after everything that had been going on. Besides, it was a Stark party, where money and alcohol flowed like water.

The next morning, you stayed in bed for longer than necessary, lingering on till lunchtime. Getting out, you headed straight to the training room and started to run laps. After working up a sweat you stretched a bit, deciding to have a light lunch. Once inside the empty kitchen, you made yourself a bowl of cereal, finishing it quickly and rushing to your room. The party would start in the late evening and you had to eventually start getting ready. 

Taking a quick shower, you walked out in a bathrobe, hair wet and debating what to wear when there was a knock at your door. Opening it, you saw Wanda and Natasha standing there smiling and you let them in. They had a few outfits in their arms and Wanda flopped onto your bed, “I don't know what to wear.”

You smiled at her as she dramatically wiped away fake tears, sighing. “What about this?" You asked, holding up a dark blue dress from the pile.

Wanda eyed it with interest, it was sleeveless, knee length with a sweetheart neckline. She leaned forward, touching the material and smiling before saying, “I don't usually wear this colour." 

“Trust me." You insisted, pulling her off the bed and towards the direction of your bathroom.

Natasha and you waited for a bit, Wanda popping her head out and saying, “I'm not sure.”

“Come out at least." Natasha cajoled and she nodded.

She stepped out and you smiled, she looked perfect. The blue contrasted well with her hair and the dress hugged her body. “You look beautiful." You said sincerely, smiling at her and she blushed, taking a seat carefully and turning to Natasha.

“What will you wear?" She asked and Natasha shrugged, holding up a crimson dress.

Wanda squealed and you ushered Natasha into the bathroom, starting to brush through Wanda's hair and curl it. Halfway through it, Natasha stepped out and you let out a wolf whistle. The dress ended just below her thighs, the sleeves reaching her wrists. “Hot damn Nat, if looks could kill." You said and she winked at you.

“What are you wearing?" She asked, taking a seat next to Wanda, both of them looking up at you curiously. 

“I did have something in mind. Let me change into it." You replied, grabbing a dress from your closet and heading in to change.

You could hear Natasha and Wanda speaking as you changed, taking a deep breath and stepping out. “Perfect." Wanda called out and Natasha smirked.

You started to finish Wanda's hair, all of you putting on makeup and wearing your shoes when Natasha said, “Party's probably in full swing by now, lets head upstairs.”

You nodded, adjusting your feet in the black kitten heels before heading to the elevator with them, Natasha pressing the button for the penthouse. Stepping outside, you immediately heard the music playing. Vision floated up to you all, smiling at everyone before taking Wanda's hand and leading her away. Natasha and you smiled at them, walking down the steps to the room. The area was full of people despite Tony promising a small event. There was a bar at the corner, people dancing and just relaxing on the couches, most of the crowd were S.H.I.E.L.D agents Natasha informed you. Seeing Tony by the food table, you headed to him, Natasha walking to the couch where Steve sat with Sharon. 

Greeting them both and taking a seat next to him, she observed how he turned to see you and his eyes widened. You were in a skintight black dress that ended on your upper thigh, the off shoulder neckline exposing your collarbone with sleeves ending at your elbow. Steve's eyes were on your legs, you were also wearing sheer black suspender stockings. Natasha saw his jaw clench, his eyes following you as you walked to Tony, your blood red lips pulled into a smile as you started to speak to him. 

Sam walked up behind you and you turned, hugging him and smiling, barely even noticing Steve. Natasha smirked as he kept staring at you as Sharon spoke to him. Natasha elbowed him subtly and he turned back to Sharon, nodding and pretending to listen to what she had to say, his mind haywire. You looked good, very good. Your hair was tied away in a loose low bun and your makeup made your eyes look smoky. He could feel chills crawl up his spine, and he tried to focus on Sharon. Sharon who had been there for him, Sharon who was reliable, who was trustworthy and a good agent. Most of all Sharon who was his last link to Peggy. It was not that Sharon looked bad, in fact her lilac dress was quite lovely. It was just that your image in that black dress was seared in Steve's mind. 

You walked up to the bar, ordering two shots. Taking one in each hand, you walked to where Natasha sat, noticing Steve and Sharon there too. ‘Great.' You thought, stopping when you reached the couch. 

Natasha took the drink you offered before you plastered a smile on your face, “Oh! Captain Rogers and Agent Carter! I didn't see you there.”

Steve rolled his eyes at your words, and you caught him in the act. He stiffened under your gaze, your eyes grazing over him. He wore a midnight blue button down with black pants, the sleeves rolled up to show his muscular forearms. You could smell his cologne, a mix of smoke and woodland musk along with an underlying scent you could not place. He was gorgeous. Needing to get away, you gestured to Natasha as she got up, both of you walking towards the edge of the dance floor. Steve watched you go, getting up and announcing that he was going to go get a drink, asking Sharon if she wanted one. 

Before the blonde could interject and say the drink would have no effect on Steve, he had stalked off to the bar, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. Turning, his eyes found you and he started to drink. Natasha caught his stare, yet Steve could not look away and she smiled. You stopped mid sentence, seeing her expression and sending her a curious look. 

"He's looking at you."  
Natasha's words made you raise an eyebrow and you turned your head in the direction of her gaze. He stood leaning against the bar, blue eyes shining and blond hair slicked back flawlessly. 

"I don't think I'm his type Nat." You said, rolling your eyes. 

"What makes you say that?" 

"For starters, I'm not part of the Carter family tree."

She let out a giggle as you continued, “Plus he has tried to kill me multiple times, almost succeeding the last time he tried. If anything I think he hates me." 

“Why not put it to the test sestra? As I recall you did particularly well in the seduction lessons." Natasha teased, making you think.

If he did like you, or was even attracted to you, it gave you a means to rile him up and slowly extract your petty revenge against him. Besides, it was not like you returned those sentiments, you told yourself- still choosing to deny you had any sort of feeling towards Steve other than apathy. Nodding at Natasha you downed your drink, heading to the dance floor with your eyes on Steve. Opening your hair so it fell down in loose curls, you started to sway, making sure to be in Steve's line of view. You sent him your signature smile- the smile that could make the toughest people crack, the smile that would make anyone listen to your command. He looked baffled, his eyes darkening as you continued to dance, making sure to maintain eye contact. 

When the song ended, you headed towards his direction and he stood up straighter, yet you missed him completely, standing by the bar and asking the bartender to pour you a shot. Turning to Steve, stepping closer so you were centimetres apart, you asked, “Enjoying the party Captain Rogers?”

You saw him stiffen, heard his heartbeat becoming erratic, as he struggled to speak. All of this screamed one thing and it made you feel like the cat that captured the star-spangled canary. Titling your head, you smirked, “Something wrong Captain?” 

Before he could respond, you picked your drink and started to saunter away. Turning back to him, you sent him a wink, watching his features shift in shock. Giggling to yourself, you saw Wanda waving at you from across the room. Walking to her, she patted at the seat next to her and asked, “What was that?”

“Natasha said Steve likes me apparently, I just went to confirm her theory." You responded.

Wanda let out an excited squeal, starting to speak rapidly, “Oh my god, I thought he might too, well up until he tried to kill you. Maybe even after. Well? Does he?”

“As of now, yes." You replied, Wanda grabbing your hand and beaming.

“No telling anyone for now. I have a plan to take a bit of revenge from Captain Steve." 

“I won’t. Tell me this, how will you control your feelings?” 

“I don't know honestly." You responded without thinking, realising what you said when you saw Wanda's smile increase if that was possible.

“I mean, I don't have any feelings so I don't need to control anything." You snapped, watching Wanda nod and roll her eyes, unconvinced. 

It was not exactly your fault that you were so uncomfortable with your emotions. Love had never exactly been a priority for the past few years of your life. In fact, other than your parents, Natasha and particular members of your team, you were not sure you were capable of loving anyone. If you were being honest, you did not even know what romantic love was. It was this lack of awareness that made you believe that you could easily flirt with Steve without feeling anything in return. Wanda noticed your conflicted expression and started to chatter away, effectively distracting you from your thoughts.

Your behaviour at the bar had left Steve riled up. Your voice had been low, your tone flirtatious as you batted your lashes at him. Your proximity had made his heart want to explode out of his chest and land at your feet. He kept looking as you walked to Wanda, slightly confused at his own reaction until he realised he was keeping Sharon waiting. Rushing back to the couch he saw the blonde waiting for him, looking slightly annoyed. “What took you so long?" She asked and he tried to look apologetic.

He raised his gaze and saw you looking at him from across the room. Immediately, he turned back to Sharon, who still looked less than pleased. Leaning down so his lips grazed her ear, he asked, “Will you dance with me?”

She looked up at him, annoyed expression replaced with a smile as she nodded, taking his hand as he led her to the dance floor. As luck would have it, a slow song started to play and he took Sharon's hand, the other settling at her waist while hers found its way to his chest as they started to dance. You watched the debacle from across the room, eyes burning holes into the back of Sharon's head. Wanda saw you clenching your fists tight, signalling to Natasha who rushed over to you. 

“Jealous are we?" She teased and you turned to glare at her.

“No." You replied, pointedly looking away from the dancing couple and towards your clenched fists.

Unclenching them, you took a deep breath. It took all your willpower to not throw some sort weapon at the couple, Natasha and Wanda's knowing expressions were not helping. You felt a twist deep in your stomach and a buildup of nausea, but you could not feel jealous. It was not like you actually cared about Steve, you reminded yourself. 

You watched on as Sharon got closer and closer to Steve, finally resting her head on his chest and you started to curse away in Romanian, Natasha in a fit of giggles at all the things you were saying. Thankfully, the song ended before you burst a vein, Sharon and Steve pulling apart. The rest of the night remained a blur for you and as you dropped onto your bed you kept seeing the two together. 

Getting out of bed, you walked up to your mirror, taking deep breaths and looking at your reflection. You started to replay everything that had happened between you and Steve, the fights and arguments, the cutting words and him almost killing you. This hardened your resolve, you had to get back at him and teasing him was the best way. You needed to stay disciplined and focused.

~

The information you all had collected from the recon mission had managed to check out, there was a party taking place at the Roosevelt in the coming week and both Boss Finley and Dobrivoje Poplovic would be attending. S.H.I.E.L.D had been debating on who to send in, Natasha was not an option since Boss Finely would recognise her. 

You had immediately volunteered, yet a problem arose. Going there alone would look highly suspicious and would be unsafe. While you were a newer member and less likely to be recognised by anyone, it would still be risky to send you in alone, especially since a lot of international criminals would be part of the guest list. 

It had been decided by Fury that Steve would be the best partner for the mission, since he had been familiar with it for a while. Plus, the both of you made a good team according to him, being oblivious to the exact reason why you had gone into a mini-coma. Natasha had been concerned, Tony asking you multiple times if you were uncomfortable with being paired with Steve and you had waved off their concerns. 

Steve had been threatened to take care of you, Tony promising the soldier a metal foot up his ass if anything happened to you. Steve had been annoyed, especially since your behaviour toward him had changed so much. 

You were either outright cold or flirtatious, making sure to lean and bend over around him, sheer black suspender stockings becoming a regular part of your wardrobe. You frustrated him to the core, ran through his thoughts all the time. Your smile, the way your voice would have a lilt to it as you teased him, the sparkle in your eyes. 

He had met up with Sharon once after the party, going out for a simple coffee but the whole time his mind had turned to you. He had barely been able to concentrate on what Sharon said and had been equally distracted when she had kissed him goodbye. It confused him, at a time a kiss from Sharon would have made him overjoyed but now he barely felt anything. 

There had not been a lot of training for the mission, it was basically a more complicated recon. You both had to figure out where the bomb would be planted and when, all the while recording enough evidence to incriminate Boss Finley. 

On the day of the mission, you had woken up quite early, opting to skip breakfast and instead hit the training room. The week leading up to the mission had been quite enjoyable for you, flirting with Steve and watching him pretend to not be bothered by your actions. It felt satisfying to see him squirm, you labelling the warmth you felt in your heart at seeing him blush as nothing more than petty satisfaction. Finishing your training, you had headed to Wanda's room, spending time chatting and relaxing with her. 

Natasha and her were up to date with every single detail of your attempts to rile up Steve, trying to make you both be in the same room as much as possible, if only to watch Steve sputter. 

By evening, you headed back to your room to get ready. Since it was a formal occasion, you had chosen a black spaghetti strap dress with a tulle skirt and a slit on the left leg stopping at your upper thigh. Keeping the accessories to a minimal, you had left your hair loose, slipping on a pair of heels. A dagger was strapped on your covered thigh along with a small gun, just in case things went wrong. 

Tony had asked you both to meet him in his lab when you were done getting ready, and you headed there now. Walking in, you saw Tony talking to someone out of your sight. Turning, your eyes widened. Steve stood with black hair and a pencil moustache, his white pinstriped suit hugging his frame. Seeing him in a suit was doing things to you, and the moustache reminded you of Clark Gable. Turning back to Tony, you sent him a smile as he winked at you. 

Remembering your mini vendetta, you walked right up to Steve, leaning against the table and inches away from him. A few minutes passed, you were about to ask Tony why you were being made to wait when Sharon rushed inside, “Sorry I'm late." 

She paused, catching her breath and looking at you and Steve, her eyes lingering on the latter. Walking up to you both, you sent her a nod as she opened up her file, starting the debriefing. You kept getting distracted, looking at Steve from the corner of your eye. He smelled nice, he looked drop dead gorgeous and you were slowly going insane. 

The super soldier shared the same sentiments, the moment you had walked in the lab, like clockwork his heartbeat had rose. You looked breathtaking, the black suiting your flawless (S/C) skin. Sam had called you hell on heels once and now Steve could not help but agree. When you had come to stand next to him, he had tried to steady his heartbeat and finally succeeded. He waited for the flirting, the teasing comments yet nothing happened. A part of him missed it and this scared him deeply. Before he had time to analyse this feeling, Sharon rushed in. 

Again, there was a feeling of confusion rushing through him. Sharon was familiar, he had always liked Sharon and now your presence had made him second guess. This in itself bothered Steve, he liked being sure of himself and everything around him and now to question his feelings and try to discern them was daunting. He felt similar to the time he had rushed out the hospital onto Times Square, hurled into a world he did not know and surrounded by unfamiliarity. 

Still now was not the time to think about his inner conflict, he pushed away his feelings and focused on the information Sharon provided. Steve would be Armand Giotti, international businessman and art collector and you were his date. You rolled your eyes at your role of being arm candy, yet a part of you did not mind because it was Steve's arm you would be on. 

When Sharon was done speaking, you saw her looking at Steve, clearly wanting to speak to him. Sending Tony a look, you turned to Sharon sending her a saccharine smile and saying, “Well Agent Carter, its always a pleasure but we have a party to get to. Come on Captain." 

At the last part, your tone turned sultry, turning back to look at Steve. He nodded, sending an apologetic look to Sharon before following you out. He was acting uncharacteristically but he could not help it, seeing you in that dress had killed most of his higher brain functioning. 

In the parking lot, you both stepped into the awaiting car. Once settled comfortably, you stared out the window, aware of Steve's eyes on you. Turning to face him, you wordlessly handed him a gun. He hesitated to take it and you sent him a glare. This made him smile internally, finally a familiar expression from you and he took it, tucking it away in his jacket.

As the car pulled up to the Roosevelt, both of you stuck a small camera onto a part of your outfit. It was the size of a baby's fingernail and would provide a livestream to Fury and to the rest of the team in Tony's lab. It was supposed to provide incriminating evidence against Boss Finley and aid in his capture. 

Steve nodded at you before stepping out of the car as the door was opened. You stepped out after him, coughing audibly when he walked ahead of you. Pausing, he turned to you with a raised eyebrow and you linked your arm into his, whispering harshly, “Remember I'm your arm candy. Pretend to not hate me for once.”

He was about to retaliate, yet you looked straight ahead and started to walk, dragging him along with you. Head held high, you both sauntered into the hotel, heading straight to the ballroom. It was huge, with a high ceiling and a beautiful crystal chandelier. At one end of the room, there were rounded tables where people sat, others mingling at the bar. There was a live band playing soft music and a few couples were swaying on the dance floor. You could see a lot of stiff old men in suits being fawned over by their practically adolescent dates and recognised at least five wanted criminals. You stiffened, looking at them reminding you a bit too much about your own past, your nails unconsciously digging into Steve's arm.

He looked down to see your haunted expression before leaning down slightly and whispering, “Everything is fine. You are fine.”

You were confused at his words, why was he comforting you? Why did it make you feel at ease? “I am perfect. Nothings wrong." You snapped, looking straight ahead and scoping the room. 

A few people were looking in your direction, so you looked up at Steve, trying to make your expression mimic that of the girls looking adoringly at their partners. Steve was thrown off at your look, you smiling up at him, eyes wide and shining before he saw you subtly gesture to the crowd and he nodded, smiling down at you stiffly. 

You rolled your eyes at his face, he looked like he was in physical pain at having to smile at you. Stepping closer, you placed a kiss to his cheek. Your heart was about to give out, your lips searing against his smooth skin. Oh god how you wanted to stay like that forever. He froze at your action, this was the closest you had ever been to him. “Pretend to be enamoured by me or so help me I will burn you to a crisp." You hissed, lips close to his ear before pulling away and smiling up at him again.

He smirked, the old you was back. Both of you made your way to a table, finding your namecards and taking a seat. The couple already at the table turned to you, sizing you up and you did the same. The man was clearly past his prime but still desperately trying to look young, while his decades younger date was wearing a magenta dress that looked like it had been designed by a toddler with scissors. 

You could tell the man felt insecure looking at Steve as he introduced himself, “Hi there, I'm Hayden Williams, I own half the buildings on this block. And you are?”

You stopped yourself from rolling your eyes at his words and looked at Steve, waiting for him to respond. He cleared his throat, a smirk that made your insides tingle slipping onto his face as he replied, "Armand Giotti, it's a pleasure. I dabble a bit in everything. And this is the enchanting Isabella." 

He introduced you and you sent Hayden a tight lipped smile, who realised he had to introduce his own date, “Pleasure's all mine. This is Crystal." 

You zoned out as Steve and Hayden started to talk, scanning the room when you saw Boss Finley by the bar. Stiffening, you angled yourself in a way that would make Boss Finley appear on the live video feed. Leaning closer to Steve, you placed your hand over his, lips to his ear as you pretended to whisper something romantic to him, “Boss is at the bar. We wait for Poplovic before we make a move." 

Your hand was cold against his, your breath against his cheek made him want to shiver yet he stayed calm, smiling as you spoke to keep up the illusion. Pulling away, you saw Crystal had scooted closer to you, away from Hayden as he engaged in a pissing contest with Steve, bragging about who had more money. “Hi there." She said, smiling at you and you smiled back.

“Isabella right? I wanted to introduce myself to you properly. I'm Crystal and I absolutely love your dress." She continued, surprising you.

Your perception of her had been that of a typical self obsessed bimbo, but she seemed nice. “Hello, thank you so much. I like your earrings." 

She smiled at your compliment, starting to speak about her relationship with Hayden and how much she loved him. You only half listened to her, subtly turning back to keep your eye on Boss Finley and see if he was joined by Poplovic. “You and Armand make a really cute couple. I can see the love in your eyes.” 

Her words made you whip your head back to her, eyes wide in shock and horror. “Well yeah, it's easy to see there is something amazing between you too." She insisted, her smile genuine.

‘More like something awful’ you thought, baffled as to how your general dislike for all things Steve could come across as love to her. Before you could worry yourself with overthinking, you saw Poplovic enter the ballroom flanked by two guards, making his way to the bar. Steve noticed him as well, turning to you and you sent him a smile. Suddenly, Hayden got up, making his way towards you and for a moment you feared he was suspecting something, till he extended his hand to Crystal, asking her to dance. 

Giggling, she agreed, sending you a small wave before following Hayden to the dance floor. You had to get closer to Boss and Poplovic, getting them together on camera would be enough evidence to have Boss locked away. Suddenly an idea struck you and you turned to Steve saying, “Dance with me.”

He raised an eyebrow at your words, clearly hesitant as you rolled your eyes. “Get up. Now." 

Your tone left no room for arguments as he got up, grumbling about how he was the Captain not you. Walking across the floor past dancing couples, you stopped a few feet away from the bar, facing Steve as he took your hand. “Don't be shy Captain." You teased, seeing his reluctance as he gingerly placed a hand on your waist.

You both started to sway, making sure to keep your eyes on the two at the bar. Steve looked uncomfortable, his expression grim and people were beginning to notice. “Pretend that you love me. Besides, you were having such fun dancing at Tony's party, bring a little of that passion here. People will think I kidnapped you." You hissed, squeezing his hand in frustration. 

Immediately, his grip on your waist was tighter and he pulled you closer to him, your body flush against his. Looking down at you, he smiled and for a second you wanted to believe it was not pretend. Trying to calm your heartbeat and mimic his loving expression, you swayed along with him. 

You saw Poplovic and Boss get up from the bar, starting to walk out and you waited a few seconds before pulling away from Steve, grabbing his hand and playfully pulling him behind you. Once out of the ballroom, you let go of his hand as the two of you started to skirt behind Poplovic and Boss. Turning into a hallway, they walked into a conference room and shut the door. You were about to move forward when Steve held you back, pointing at the two guards that stationed themselves outside the door. 

“We’ll have to stay here and catch as much as possible." He whispered and you nodded, both of you sticking close to the wall.

You strained your ears, making out what Poplovic and Boss were talking about. Poplovic was saying something about placing the bomb himself and asking for his payment. Steve was hearing the same thing and at opportune moments you both turned to nod at each other. Suddenly, the door opened, Poplovic coming out with him and his guards coming your way. It was too late to get away and as you saw Steve's panicked expression, you did not think. 

Placing your hand behind his neck, you lowered his face into the crook of your neck, hand fisting his hair and arm wrapping around his torso as you started to moan. For good measure, you hooked your leg onto his. Steve froze, what the fuck was happening? Realising what you were trying to do, his hands found their way onto your body. Your moans were sending blood down south, your fingernails grazing against his scalp.

Poplovic saw a flurry of limbs against the wall, hearing the sounds you were making before smirking and walking on. Waiting till he was out of sight, you let go of Steve and he pulled away, looking flushed. His face was red, his breaths heavy as he looked down at you. You fixed your hair, walking past him towards the conference room. He followed, realising you must had pressed the button hidden in your earring that would signal S.H.I.E.L.D agents to come in and capture Boss Finley. A few moments passed, Steve was getting uncomfortable with the silence, especially after the intimate moment you both just shared. He was about to speak when he saw Sharon appear at the end of the hall flanked with three other agents who were fully armed. She smiled at him and he stole a glance at you. Your expression was cold, your brow furrowed and his words died in his throat, turning to send a smile back to Sharon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you guys liked the chapter, sorry if it feels rushed or just bad. I'll try to update between my trip, if not I'll write a really long chapter when I get back. Your comments and kudos make my day guys, and I promise I'll reply to all of them because I loveee talking to you all. See you all next update lovelies!  
Also the outfits:  
dress: https://www.hocogirl.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/800x1000/cb64e826807d9b4c1b2f60b1313edfd3/P/M/PM1197_1.jpg  
Suit:  
https://www.blossomaccessorieswholesale.com/pictures/Blossom%20Accessories%20Costumes/20s-white-gangster-suit-1.jpg


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heyy babies! I loved the feedback from the last chapter, it astounds me how much yall like the story. My vacation was lovely, I celebrated my birthday on holiday and now I am here with a brand new chapter.
> 
> Trigger Warning:  
Violence and Torture, plus some sad dark thoughts

Did you feel uncomfortable after your practical makeout session with Steve in the hallway? Yes. Did you also feel turned on from said session? Also yes. Not knowing how to act, you decided focusing on the mission was the best course of action, which is why you were being reserved. Steve had been wanting to speak to you but you refused to look in his direction, while Sharon only had eyes for him.

You saw Steve smile at Sharon, your insides twisting as you tried to swallow your contempt. Turning to the door, you knocked. Steve's eyes widened along with Sharon’s. That was not part of the mission, you were not supposed to engage with Boss Finley, the agents were there to arrest him. Steve started to move towards you to drag you away from the door, but it was too late. Boss Finley opened the door, eyes raking over you appreciatively as he asked, “Are you lost darling?"

You rolled your eyes, feeling Steve reach you before you curled your hand into a fist, sending a punch flying straight to Boss Finley's nose. He stood there for a second, expression dazed as Steve looked on horrified before he dropped to the ground in a faint. 

“Why did you do that?" Steve asked, grabbing onto your arm tightly, making you face him. 

“You're asking why I saved the team a lot of time and took out a dangerous criminal?" You countered, tone impassive as you tried to tug away your arm.

Sharon reached you both, her eyes on the limp figure on the floor. Seeing her so close, Steve let go of your arm and you huffed, knowing it would bruise like last time. Before Sharon could speak, you turned to the agents in the hallway and ordered, “Pick up the target. You need to escort him to headquarters.”

Your tone was authoritative and the agents did not think twice, rushing forward and hoisting up Boss Finley, Sharon watching on slightly confused. Steve was sending her apologetic glances and you resisted the urge to slam your head against the wall, instead following the agents down the hall. Steve was about to say something to Sharon, yet she turned and rushed after you, calling out to you. 

“Agent (Y/N)! Wait! Agent Drakov." 

Hearing your last name make you skid to a stop, freezing in shock. Nobody used your real last name, barely anyone knew it. It was something entirely private and Sharon saying it out loud it struck a cord with you. Turning to her, you took a deep breath before saying, “Do not call me that ever again. Ever." 

She looked perturbed, slightly annoyed at your words yet she caught the wild look in your eye, choosing to stay quiet. Steve had caught most of this interaction, making it a mental note to dig up your past. “Acknowledged. You and Steve need to come back with us to headquarters and report to Fury." 

You nodded at her words, turning and rushing down the hall. Exiting the hotel, you turned into the alley where the S.H.I.E.L.D car waited. Getting in, you waited for Sharon and Steve to join you, your hand instinctively resting on your dagger. Your last name was something you were ambivalent about. You loved and hated it for the same reason- it was a link to your past and your identity. 

Steve and Sharon stepped into the car and you pointedly stared out the window, in no mood to speak to any of them. The car started to move, rushing past the city. Once out in the wilderness, the car went off track to what looked like a farmhouse and barn. Getting off, you tried to control your grimace, your heels were not meant for mud and hay. You followed Sharon and the rest of the agents as they headed to the barn, punching in a code and the door opened. 

Inside was what looked to be an office headquarter, similar to certain parts of the Avengers Compound. From the pictures you had seen of the old S.H.I.E.L.D offices, you knew this place was very similar. Sharon walked past agents working away on laptops, nodding at a few. They all stared at you and Steve, looking at your getups and especially at you since you were a new face. 

Sharon and the agents stepped into an elevator and you both followed, watching her press the button for one of the many underground levels. Steve kept looking at you like he wanted to say something, making you feel like a frog about to be dissected. 

As you all stepped out the elevator, you finally snapped, turning to Steve and hissing, “What?”

His brow furrowed, about to snap back when he saw your arm beginning to bruise. He wanted to kick himself, it was the second time he had done this to you. Taking a deep breath he whispered, “Could you change back my hair please?”

Your eyes widened at his request, particularly surprised he had added the ‘please’. You nodded, snapping your fingers and his hair colour went from black back to blond, the moustache disappearing much to your chagrin. He was about to thank you when you snapped your fingers again, making his suit disappear into his usual Captain America stealth suit. Your own dress you made disappear into your bodysuit, heels changing into combat boots. 

You watched the agents escort Boss Finley into an interrogation room as he started to gain consciousness. Sharon led you and Steve to the observing room, where a figure in a black trench coat stood. The eyepatch was enough for you to know this was Director Fury and you stood at attention. 

He walked up to you and Steve, sending him a nod before looking you up and down. “You are younger than I expected." 

“I get that a lot sir." You replied, meeting his steady gaze.

He chuckled before turning to speak to Sharon, and you felt Steve's eyes on you. He was looking at you intently, trying to figure out how old you were exactly. He now desperately needed to find your file on the database and try to uncover more of your elusive past. 

You zoned out as Steve relayed the mission details to Fury, looking at the agents failing to get anything out of Boss Finley through the mirror. He leaned back in his chair smirking, drumming his fingers on the table as the agents worked themselves up in attempts to extract information from him. Giving up, the pulled up from the table, leaving the room, shaking their head at Fury who looked incensed. 

“This is one stubborn motherfucker." He complained, glaring at Boss through the mirror. 

Your eyes widened in glee when you realised this was your chance, walking up to Fury you offered, "I could try interrogating him.”

Fury, Steve and Sharon all turned to you. Before Fury could respond, Sharon asked, “What makes you think you can make him speak?" 

You blinked, raising an eyebrow as if to say ‘Did everyone forget I was an assassin like literally a month ago.' Ignoring her, you turned to Fury and said, “If he's not spilling his guts in five minutes, you can reprimand me as you see fit." 

He looked intrigued now, nodding and you walked towards the room, pausing at the door and remembering one small detail. “Permission to use more persuasive methods of interrogation?" You asked.

“Granted.”

Steve looked at Fury incredulously, who shrugged before walking closer to the glass, pressing a button so that anything you said to Boss Finley could be heard by everyone in the observation room. Hesitating for a moment, Steve also stepped closer to the glass, eyes on you as you walked into the room. 

Boss Finley's gaze turned to you, his expression darkening as his hand went to his nose, the throbbing pain reminding him of your punch. “What do you want?” He spat out in disgust as you pulled out the chair, seating yourself across him. 

“Where is the bomb going to be planted?” 

“There's no way in hell I’m telling you." He hissed, glaring at you. 

You let out a dark chuckle that made chills run down Steve's spine. “I was hoping you'd say that." You said, eyes glinting. 

Boss was thrown off with your reaction, his brows furrowing. Suddenly, there was a flurry of movement and Steve heard Boss Finley's screams. Rushing up to the glass, he tried to see what was happening. You leaned back in your chair and Steve's eyes widened, you had shoved your dagger down the back of Boss Finley's hand, embedding it against the table. Blood was pooling up around his hand, slowly starting to drip down to the floor as he screamed. Steve saw your face unconcerned, almost happy at this action. His glance turned to Sharon, she looked mildly horrified and Steve would be lying if he said he was not afraid of you at that moment. 

“You bitch! How fucking dare you?" Boss screamed, shuddering in pain. 

“The bomb. Where is it?" You asked again, your tone low as you spoke slowly, emphasising every word. 

When Boss did not respond, you clucked your mouth in disappointment. He looked relieved, thinking you had given up. Steve's brows furrowed, on edge as he waited for your next move. You raised your index finger, making its tip light up. Boss Finley's eyes widened in fear as he choked out, “What the fuck. What are you?”

Ignoring his questions, you pointed your finger to his hand stuck to the table, a small ray of flames making its way to his fingers and starting to burn them. He let out another scream of pain, the room starting to smell like burning flesh. Steve watched on in silent horror, Sharon looking positively green. 

“Stop! I can't tell you! Poplovic will kill me!" Boss Finley let out between screams of pain. 

Immediately you stopped the flames, looking Boss in the eyes before asking coldly, “What makes you think I won't?" 

This made Sharon snap out of her bubble of horror and disgust, turning to Fury and demanding, “Stop her right now.”

Steve turned to Fury, who paused before shaking his head no. Steve turned back to see you leaning forward slightly as you spoke, “I've been wanting to do this trick for a while. I perfected it back in the Red Room but these people having me playing nice. I happen to control elements, and you know water is an element. Did you know blood is 92% water?" 

You waited for Boss to nod at your words before you continued, “I call it blood bending. I can make the blood going to your fearful heart stop, I can redirect the blood going to your brain to somewhere equally useless. Or I could make you bleed out by making it pour out of all your orifices." 

As you spoke the last part, blood started dripping out of Boss Finley's eyes. He convulsed in pain, Steve and the rest watching in shock. “I like the third option. That is unless you want to tell me where the bomb will be." You said matter-of-factly, tapping away at the table to mimic Boss Finley's movements from earlier. 

When he did not respond, you steeled your gaze, watching as blood started poring out his eyes and nose, his suit tinting red. Back in the observation room, Sharon was going insane, desperately begging Fury to call you off. Steve could not pull his eyes away despite wanting to, and just when he thought Fury would cave in, Boss said, “I'll tell you! It's going to be set off in Sweetwater." 

Immediately, the blood stopped flowing as you smiled, signalling for the agents to come in and ask him more details. Getting up, you sauntered out the room, stepping daintily over all the blood on the floor and rejoining everyone in the observation room. “What was that?" Sharon thundered, her expression furious. 

“That was me making him talk in four minutes twenty seconds exactly." You retorted, expression annoyed. 

“Aren't you going to say something to her?" Sharon asked Fury, waiting for him to chew you out.

You turned to face him as well, waiting for his response. His expression was unreadable till he let out a small smile and said, “Good work Agent. You both are dismissed for the night." 

You nodded as Sharon huffed incredulously. Sending her a wink, you turned to see Steve looking at you in a mix of fear and adoration. “Come on Captain." You said, tone flirty as you walked out the room.

Sharon looked at Steve, waiting for him to make a move. He shrugged, sending Sharon a small wave and following you out the room. He caught up to you in the hall, debating whether or not to speak to you. 

You beat him to it, as you both stepped into the elevator you turned to him, expression steely as you ordered, “Not a word to Natasha about this. I don't want her worried.”

Steve blinked, confusion evident on his features yet you did not elaborate or attempt to clear up his confusions. Reaching back to the top, you both got out of the structure to see a car waiting to drop you both back to the Stark Tower. Getting into the car, you immediately rested your head against the window and closed your eyes, pretending to be asleep. In reality, your mind was running from what had just happened. 

Torturing Boss Finley had been so easy, almost too easy. It barely took you seconds to slip into your old persona. You enjoyed watching him writhe and bleed, knowing you had caused it to happen. Perhaps it was sadistic of you but torturing people had always been one of your preferred activities. 

You did not want Natasha to know how much you missed it, did not want her to get involved in your internal conflict to stay on the right path. It took a lot of effort to stay ‘good’ and it was taking its toll on you slowly. 

You wondered often if you were actually just evil, part of the dark and forced to play light. It definitely did make you feel like an agitated tiger, the moment it would be let loose people would be mauled. 

Steve was watching you. While your eyes were closed, a whole storm of emotions played across your face. It chilled him to see you so effortlessly hurt Boss Finley, and with such expertise. More chilling was the fact that you did so without any remorse or reaction other than mild glee and satisfaction. His suspicious inner voice kept whispering how he had been right all along, your bloodlust was unquenchable. 

Your words rung through his ears, ‘these people have me playing nice’. 

A deeper part of him found it so alluring seeing you in absolute control of your surroundings and so confident in your abilities. You knew you were deadly and you did not hesitate in letting the world know. 

He kept thinking back to your stint in the hallway. Your skin had been smooth, soft to the touch, your scent intoxicating. Dancing with you made him feel like he was floating and when he had pulled you closer you had fit perfectly against him. 

This ambivalence towards you was annoying him and he knew it was annoying everyone else on the team too. He had made a mental tally list, adding desirable and undesirable points about you. Your recent ministrations added quite a few points towards the undesirable side. Yet, he still could not come to a conclusion about you. While he knew you rubbed off him the wrong way, he also knew you rubbed him just the right way too. He was waiting for one massive deciding factor, one action or event that would finally help him understand you as a person. Which was why he would immediately search you up as soon as he reached his room, knowing your past would help him decide your future. 

The car pulled up to Stark Tower and you opened your eyes, getting off the car. Steve caught up to you, getting into the elevator. You raised your hand to press the button, wincing slightly when you realised it was the arm Steve had grabbed. Deciding to take advantage of the fact that Steve probably thought you were some deranged sadist, you turned to him and said, “Take note. If you ever grab my arm like that again, I will snap your shield and shove both pieces down your throat.”

Steve blinked, uncomfortable at the imagery your words provided. A part of him knew you could probably break his shield if you really wanted to and so he did not respond. Your words did happen to make him add just a few more points on your ‘bad’ side. 

As the elevator reached your floor, you sent him a saccharine smile, singing out, “Well, goodnight Captain.”

He watched you saunter out before he let out a deep breath, leaning against the elevator wall. Running a hand through his hair, he shook his head and tried to compose himself. 

Once safely inside his room, Steve practically ran to his computer. Ignoring all his other research, he opened up the S.H.I.E.L.D database and typed in your name. One single file appeared which he clicked. It opened up to your agent profile. It had your name and that was it. There was no picture, a question mark next to your age and your full abilities. It stated you had been born in Romania and that you had been in Russia up until you were recruited. 

This intrigued Steve, how did Sharon know your last name if it was not on the S.H.I.E.L.D database? He would have to find out. He then started to search for people under the name ‘(Y/N) Drakov’. Nothing showed up yet again, much to his frustration. A thought crossed his mind, he could just ask you about yourself, but taking into account your relationship with him, he decided against it. 

Perhaps Natasha or Wanda could shed some light on your past. With this in mind, he texted Natasha asking where she was. When she replied that she was with Wanda in the lounge Steve immediately stood up, a man on a mission. 

Getting off the elevator, he strode towards the lounge when he heard peals of laughter. Slowing down, he listened and heard your voice, “Sestra you should see them. Carter looks at him like the sun shines out of his rear. It's nauseating.”

“Well, she has grown up with Peggy singing his praises." He heard Natasha say, yet your words were the ones burning him. 

“Not like he is any different. He has this lovesick puppy expression around her. It's so typical. The 'goodboy' avenger and the 'goodgirl' agent. And here I thought love would be a bit less predictable." 

Your cold tone was like knives on his torso. You did not know how harsh you could sound. Anger clouding his vision, he marched into sight. Natasha and Wanda saw him approaching like an angry bull, their expressions changing to those of shock. “Interesting coming from you. I bet you don't even know what love is. In fact, I pity the bastard who makes the fatal mistake of ever having any feelings for someone with a heart of stone like yours.”

You had been unwinding with Natasha and Wanda, taking the opportunity to let off steam and complain about Steve and Sharon. You had not anticipated Steve coming up behind you and yelling. His words cut you deep and you whirled back to snap a reply yet were met with his retreating figure. 

Turning back, you saw Natasha and Wanda looking ashen. Starting to take deep breaths, you felt anger bubble up inside you. When your eyes started to fill up you realised it was sorrow. Looking away, you saw Natasha and Wanda coming to comfort you. Flipping off the couch, you rushed to the elevator, shutting it before they could reach you. Inside your room, you finally broke down.

Dropping onto the floor, you started to cry. It had been a long time coming, recent events along with the pain of the past building up inside you. You cried and cried, shaking violently with every sob. Your door you had locked and enchanted to keep everyone out. The last thing you wanted was for people to see you weak and an emotional wreck. 

After crying your fill, you forced yourself off the floor, catching a glimpse of your reflection in the mirror. Your eyes were red and puffy, your skin flushed- you looked miserable. Stripping, you drew yourself a scalding bath and stepped inside, letting the water sting your skin. The bruises on your arm smartened, yet you did not care. It was Steve's words that had hurt the most. 

What he said had attacked a deep insecurity of yours. You had always been wary with your affections. You had loved your parents and watched them die in front of you. You loved Natasha and she had left the Room. It had made you think anyone you loved would leave you or end up hurt. 

Closing your eyes and leaning back to rest your head against the rim of the tub, you took slow breaths and tried to calm yourself down. When you felt more composed, you opened your eyes. Forming a tiny snowflake you started to make it float around the room, watching it dance around the tap, graze the window and loop over the floor. Now that you were thinking slightly more rationally, you realised Steve was right. You did not know what love was, not really. Not romantic love. 

Getting out the tub when your skin started to prune, you changed into a comfortable pair of pyjamas, deciding to research. So what if you did not know what love was? You would read about it, make yourself aware and learn what love was. Walking out to your study, your eyes scanned all the shelves before finding a book that seemed to discuss the topic of your interest. Nestling onto the armchair, the dim lamp providing light you started to read until your eyes grew heavy.

~

Two weeks passed without any disturbance. After Steve's outburst, you both had shut yourselves away for a while. Steve regretted his words partially, only partially. He had expected you to not care like you usually did, shocked when you were not at the breakfast table the next morning. Natasha's glare had been enough explanation. He debated whether or not he should go apologise to you but when he realised that you were barely seeing anyone, he pushed away this desire.

Three days after his harsh words you had emerged from your room, looking normal enough according to everyone else, yet Steve knew something was wrong. You did not once look at him. Even if he would speak, your gaze would be downward. 

You were always carrying some book or the other whenever he saw you. The title covers would always be removed, and he would wonder what you were reading behind the blank page. You would smile sometimes while reading, eyes lighting up slightly. 

He had thrown himself into his research, trying to find out as much about you as he could. Not that it helped, you were practically non existent. He had attempted to contact Sharon, yet she had waved off his attempts to meet him, saying she was busy with missions. He knew she was angry at him because of that night when you tortured Boss Finley. Only after he had sent flowers and an apology note did she agree to meet him. 

She was supposed to come to the Tower in the evening, picking him and they would have an early together yet he just received a message from Tony, ‘Meet me in the lounge. Sharon's coming. Team needed.’

That is where he found you now, engrossed in a book, your back to him. You were in a simple t-shirt and leggings that were hitched up, legs folded under you as you read. He stood at a distance, you had not noticed him come, too busy with your reading and he did not want to disturb you. Just the two of you alone would not be a good idea right now, so he hung back. If he strained his ears, he could hear you read faintly, “Before one of Buddha's disciples became a monk, he fell in love with a beautiful girl. So Buddha asked him, ‘How much do you love her?’. He answered, ‘I would turn into a stone bridge and endure five hundred years of wind, five hundred years of sun and five hundred years of rain. I only ask that she walk over me.’"

Steve's eyes widened, noticing a small smile appear on his face. He wanted to approach you, listen to you read on and on and apologise for his words. As he stepped towards you, the elevator dinged and Natasha got off along with Wanda and Vision. They stayed quiet, watching him watch you before nodding at him. Joining them so it looked like he had just come, Steve walked into the lounge. You looked up to smile at Natasha and Wanda, eyes grazing over him. He froze, this was the first time you had looked at him since two weeks.

He met your gaze and you wanted to drown in his ocean eyes. You had been reading a lot about love these past few days and could consider yourself partly educated in its ways now. This new knowledge came with a price, the sharp awareness of how alone you had been and how deprived of a romantic partner. When you read love letters or feats of devotion, it made you want a partner who could do all that for you and vice versa. While you knew that you in no way needed a man to complete you, you also knew you would not mind having someone to love in that way. 

Steve broke eye contact when Tony walked in with Sharon, both of them serious. Your gaze followed Steve’s, seeing Sharon come in and immediately closing your book. Snapping your fingers so it would disappear back to its shelf, you stood up and walked to Tony who had perched himself against the wall.

Sharon stood in the middle of the room and you leaned against Tony, waiting for what she had to say. 

“There's a mission. It's urgent."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Your kudos and feedback makes me so happy! Also the Buddha quote thing I saw in a movie and I loved it so much I just had to add it because how beautiful.  
I also watched Frozen 2 and Kristoff has my heart oh my god that cutie.
> 
> Anywayyss enough rambling, see you all next update lovelies!


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey babies I am back so soon because gosh I have nothing to do and I'm very inspired currently. I lovee your comments so much, still can't believe you guys like the story so much.  
Finally, some much awaited progress ;)  
Enjoy!

“The day she shows up with good news is the day I drop dead." You muttered to Tony, causing him to guffaw loudly. 

Everyone's eyes turned to you both, Sharon sending you an impatient glare. Raising his hands in apology, Tony gestured for her to continue. “As I was saying, there's a mission. A plane full of radioactive explosives is heading towards New York tonight. We suspect ex-agent Brock Rumlow aka Crossbones to be behind it. We need you to stop the aircraft from destroying New York and try to bring Crossbones to us alive. Impact could be devastating, not only will New York cease to exist but so will everything else in a five mile radius." 

Everyone took in Sharon's words, looking more than worried. “We'll need everyone for this." Tony spoke, his tone betraying his cool demeanour. 

Sharon nodded, “Agents Wilson and Barton have been contacted. They should be here in a bit.”

Steve was about to speak but you interrupted him, standing up straight and asking, “What about evacuating the people? Just in case.” 

“It's too late to get everyone within impact range away. We-“

“Listen. It doesn't matter how late it is. Get as many people out as possible." You retorted, not in the mood to listen to Sharon.

She looked like she was about to argue with you, yet she nodded excusing herself. Steve looked at you as you dug your nails into your palms. He did not expect you to be the one to insist people be saved. You had surprised him. 

He was snapped out of his reverie when Sharon came back into the lounge, stating that evacuation was in process. She started to explain the plan, how the team would have to drop down onto the aircraft from a jet and then take out anyone inside as well as neutralising the explosives. 

In the middle of her explaining, the elevator dinged, and Steve saw Sam walk in along with Clint. You watched as everyone rushed to greet the new male, Sam hi-fiving you. You waited for Natasha to stop hugging Clint, smiling when she led him to you. 

“This is (Y/N). My other family." She introduced, and you shook Clint's hand.

“Nice to finally meet you kid. Nat spoke about you all the time." He said, sending you a friendly smile which you reciprocated.

“All bad things I hope. It’s nice to meet you as well."

He chuckled at your reply, turning to Natasha and saying, “I like her already.”

When the pleasantries were over, everyone focused on the plan Sharon laid out. You did not necessarily agree with certain aspects of it, such as the whole idea of infiltrating the aircraft. It left very little opportunity for everyone to return safely back to the jet. Still, you stayed quiet, letting Sharon speak. 

When she was done, she told everyone that necessary equipment would be available on the jet and that they should all start suiting up. Your mind kept going back to your first mission and you reflexively sent a look to Steve. He was heading towards Sharon and you rolled your eyes, of course. Turning your back to him, you headed to Natasha and Clint, listening to them talk. 

Leading Sharon to the edge of the lounge, Steve turned back to check if you were listening. Seeing you occupied with Clint and Natasha he turned back to Sharon. “I loved the flowers." She said and he smiled.

“I need a favour Sharon. How did you figure out (Y/N)’s last name? It wasn't on the S.H.I.E.L.D database.” 

“You weren't the only one who had reservations about her joining us. So I contacted a few old friends who knew some people and had them find out as much as they could about her. Why do you ask?" 

Her brows furrowed, a question in her eyes and Steve's mind raced for something to say. “I don't trust her. And I want to see if there's any dirt on her. Can you send me as much as you know about her?" 

Sharon seemed convinced with his answer, nodding slowly. Checking the time, she said she had to leave and that the jet would be waiting for them in the evening. Steve dropped her to the elevator, thanking her for her help. After a moment's hesitation, she planted a kiss on his cheek, whispering, “Be careful.”

Before Steve had a chance to respond, the elevator doors closed. Turning back, he saw Sam send him a wink and let out a hoot. He smiled sheepishly, not noticing you glowering in the corner. 

Everyone left to prepare for the mission, yet Clint and Natasha stayed on. They filled you in on who Brock Rumlow was, and by the time they were finished you saw it was only half an hour before go time.

Rushing to your room, you changed into your bodysuit. Strapping up your daggers, you itched to take a gun yet any sort of firearms had been banned- they could risk triggering the bombs. Instead, you hooked on a small bow and quiver. 

When you were done getting ready, you made your way straight to the roof. The jet stood waiting, the sky orange and pink as the sun started to set. You were the first one there and you walked to the corner of the roof. Standing precariously at the edge, you looked down at the city beneath you. The lights were still beautiful, the buildings bathed in an auburn glow. 

A cold wind started to blow, caressing your face softly. You suddenly felt tempted to jump down and feel the wind in your hair as your heart beat out of your chest. You used to jump down the mountains back at home, stopping yourself inches before the ground. You extended a foot, about to descend when you heard people get onto the roof. 

Backing away, you turned to see Wanda along with Sam, Vision and Tony. Heading to them, you saw Wanda looking worried. Taking her hand, you made her look into your eyes before asking softly, “What's wrong?"

“I'm worried. You remember the last mission, you got hurt so terribly. I've finally started to get such a lovely family, you are like a sister to me. I can't loose you." Responded the redhead, her eyes filling up.

Her words hit you in the core and you pulled her into a hug. “Don't worry. Nothing's going to happen to me. Nobody's going to hurt me, least of all Steve." 

She nodded, pulling away and sending you a smile just as everyone else stepped onto the roof. Getting onto the jet, you followed Sam into the cockpit while the rest started to gear up. Those who could not fly were supposed to wear jetpacks of sorts. Sam made the jet takeoff, making it head towards the coordinates of the aircraft. There were a few minutes of silence, you watching Sam fly. Suddenly, Steve entered the cockpit and you sat up straighter.

He saw you, immediately freezing before composing himself. “How much longer?" He asked.

Sam turned in his seat after looking down at the screen, “It should pull up beneath us in a few moments. (Y/N) do me a favour and go check our progress from outside." 

Nodding, you got up and left the cockpit, inching past Steve who followed you out. Nodding at everyone, you gestured for them to back away as you opened up a section of the jet floor. The wind rushed in immediately, stinging your eyes. Scanning below, you caught sight of the aircraft. You were about to get up and inform Sam when something caught your eye. 

Bending down closer, you saw two smaller planes flanking the aircraft and you muttered a curse. The sight shocked you and you lost grip of the floor, falling forward and almost out the hatch when you felt someone grab onto your arm.

The grip was familiar and you opened your eyes to see Steve holding on to you. He pulled you up and you closed the hatch, dusting yourself off. “Sorry I grabbed you, you were falling and-“

“I get it." You cut him off, turning to Tony.

“There's a problem. There's two more planes protecting the aircraft. We'll need to separate to take them out." You informed, watching everyone immediately get more worried.

“This is a good time as any then. Sam! Come out." Tony called out, waiting for him to appear before continuing, “Since there's three planes now, we need to split up. Vision, Sam and I will help you all get onto the aircraft before flying to take down the planes.”

“Won't you need to check if they have explosives too? We'll have to be careful when bringing them down." Stated Steve and Tony nodded.

“Take Natasha with you. Her and Sam can scope the plane from the inside before you destroy it. The rest of us will be on the aircraft. Take down anyone you see. We need Crossbones as a hostage." Steve finished.

You nodded at the orders, mildly worried about the others. The hatch opened up, Sam having set the jet to hover. After destroying the planes he would fly back to steer it again. Tony held onto Clint, flying him out as Vision and Wanda followed. Sam grabbed Steve, about to fly out when he noticed that Natasha was left. 

“I can take her." You offered and Sam looked hesitant but Natasha nodded her agreement. 

Sam flew out and you turned to her and asked, “You do trust me right?”

“Is that even a question?" She responded and you smiled.

Grabbing her hand, you jumped out the plane. The wind hit you suddenly, your grip tightening on Natasha's hand. Focusing, you made the air cradle you both and propel you to the aircraft. Sending a glance to Natasha you saw her smiling and you sighed in relief, making the wind gently drop you onto the aircraft's surface. Immediately, Sam zoomed to you both, holding on to Natasha and starting to hover. Placing your hand over your heart, you nodded at Natasha whispering, “See you on the other side sestra.”

Sam and her took off, Vision following. Tony turned to you and you started to speak, “Be-"

“I’m always careful." He cut you off, sending you a wink and flying off.

Rolling your eyes, you turned to the entrance and made your way carefully. Once inside the aircraft you saw that the alarm had started to ring and Steve who started to speak, “We don’t have much time. We need to deactivate the explosives and find Rumlow." 

“I can probably neutralise the bombs." You said and he nodded.

“You're with me then. We head to the back of the plane, Wanda you and Clint to the front. As soon as I give the signal, you leave the plane and fly back to the jet. Understood?" 

Wanda and Clint nodded. You squeezed Wanda's hand for a moment, nodding at her as she sent you a quick smile. Turning, you both started to walk down the hallway as the alarm blared, red lights flashing. Your thoughts immediately went back to your first mission and how you were partnered with Steve. ‘That ended well' you thought dryly, ears perking when you heard people head towards you.

Steve saw you draw your bow, his grip on his shield tightening as you saw the first man turn come into sight. You shot your arrow straight through his forehead and he dropped dead. Another appeared who you shot down. Immediately, more and more men started to surge towards you both, too many to shoot down. Putting away your bow, you took out your daggers, holding them ready as the men rushed closer. 

Steve slammed his shield into the throat of the nearest man as you slit the throat of another. Falling into a familiar rhythm, you two started to take down the men. Seeing one about to hit Steve, you pushed him out of the way, your dagger slicing through the assailant's arm. Steve blinked at your action yet he did not have time to think, dodging a punch thrown at him. 

Soon, the hallway was littered with bodies and you both moved past them till you reached a door. Concentrating, you sent a small energy blast at the lock, making it bust open. Walking inside you saw crates upon crates of explosives as well as the large vent that would drop them. Steve spoke into the comm, informing everyone that you all had found the explosives. 

You heard Clint say that they had taken out quite a few guards, as well as redirected the plane to head away from New York towards the Atlantic. Tony spoke as well, informing you all that one plane had been destroyed, and the second one would be as well. 

Nodding at Steve you turned to the crates, taking a deep breath and concentrating. You started to turn the contents of each crate into dust. This task required a lot of focus and you had to stay calm, a surge in your emotions would lead to the explosives getting triggered. 

Just as the first crate was about to be completely turned to dust, you heard movement. Turning around, you saw two men in the hallway heading towards you both. You were about to move away from the crate, unsheathing your dagger when Steve shook his head, “Just focus on neutralising the bombs. I'll handle them."

You hesitated, frozen in your place when Steve insisted, his tone firm, “That's an order (Y/N). I'll take care of this.”

You watched him leave the room, heard him fighting and turned back to the crates. The faster you could get rid of the explosives, the faster you could get out of here. Eyes shut in concentration, you started to dissolve the contents inside. When you were done with more than half the crates, you heard Steve come back into the room looking slightly winded. 

You turned to acknowledge him, eyes widening when you saw a man in a white mask right behind him ready with a taser. Automatically, you rushed to Steve, the warning having barely left your lips as you shoved him out of the way, the taser coming into contact with your neck. 

You let out a pained grunt, knees buckling slightly at the full force of a thousand volts. Steve stood shell shocked, this was the second time today you had saved him. Hearing your sounds of pain, he immediately threw his shield at Rumlow's head. This temporarily threw him off as he crashed into the wall and Steve rushed to you. 

The pain was dizzying, you could barely stand straight when you heard Steve's voice, “(Y/N), can you hear me? Are you okay?”

You barely nodded, turning back to see Rumlow stand up again. Steve pushed you towards the crates, his intentions clear. He would fight while you destroyed the remaining bombs. Your head was ringing, vision slightly blurred as you focused. You could hear the fighting going on right behind you yet you had to concentrate. 

Moving on from crate to crate, Brock realised that you were the one to stop, not Steve. He started running towards you, Steve realising his intentions and rushing after him. Just as he was about to swipe at you, Steve pulled him away. You tried to focus, trusting Steve to not let you get hurt. Neutralising the crates was slower now since you had been shocked, it took more effort to focus. 

One crate was left when you heard Clint's voice through the comm, “We need to evacuate right now. The plane's going to crash straight into the Atlantic." 

This threw you off and you turned to see Steve locked with Rumlow, both of them choking each other out. Shakily unsheathing your dagger, you rushed towards them, stabbing Rumlow through the shoulder and pushing him backwards so the dagger pinned him to the wall. “Get out right now guys." You heard Clint's voice, yet it sounded faraway. 

You saw Steve standing by the vents, jetpack ready. He saw you looking weak and came back to you. “We have to go." He whispered urgently, one eye on Rumlow who was struggling to pull away from the wall. 

“I can’t. I won't be able to concentrate enough to levitate, it's the shocks. You go. There's one crate left anyways." You responded, massaging your head to stop it from ringing. 

Steve started to curse, the urgent voices of the team blaring from the comm. “You're coming with me." 

You were about to protest when you heard a gunshot. Steve winced and you saw a red liquid start to flow down his shoulder. Turning back you saw Rumlow smirk, dropping his gun and without thinking, you threw an icicle though his other palm, effectively pinning him to the wall. “Come on." He grunted through gritted teeth, trying to sound less hurt.

You shook your head at his insisting, “Don't be stubborn right now Captain. That jetpack can't hold us both. You're hurt too. We could both die.”

“I'll take that chance." 

“Ten seconds guys get the fuck out of there." You heard Tony shout.

Steve grabbed on to you, strapping his shield on and rushing towards the vent. Dropping out, he saw the Atlantic rushing closer and closer. “Come on. Come on." He urged, turning on his jetpack.

For a second nothing happened and just as he thought you both would crash, it turned on. Floating upwards, he saw the aircraft headed towards the water. Flying out of the way, he started to steer the jetpack away from the impending impact. Due to the weight of two bodies, it was slower than usual and Steve's hurt shoulder was not helping. 

He saw the aircraft drop into the ocean and his grip around you tightened. It exploded upon impact, the sound deafening and smoke rising into the sky. The force hurtled you both forward, bits of shrapnel flying everywhere as the aircraft started to sink and Steve heard you whimper. 

Opening his eyes, he saw a piece of shrapnel sticking out your back and cursed. As you both rose upwards, he saw the jet come into sight. Immediately, Tony flew out, holding on to Steve and pulling him into the jet. Finally, Steve let you go and dropped onto the jet floor, you limp by his side. 

The team huddled around you both, your faces covered in soot as your respective wounds started to bleed onto the floor. Sam sped the plane to Stark Tower, everyone ignoring Fury's calls. As soon as the plane landed, Tony grabbed you while Vision picked up Steve, flying you both down to the healing bay. 

The doctors started to attend to you both, Steve cracking open an eye and pointing to you, “See her first, she's hurt." 

“And you are shot dipshit, lets not be a hero right now." Sam retorted, keeping Steve from sitting up.

The doctors flipped you over, removing the piece of shrapnel and starting to work on you. Ushering everyone else out the room, they started to examine and treat you both while the team watched on from behind the door. 

“I should be inside with her right now. I can heal her." Protested Wanda as Vision held her back.

“Darling, you are tired yourself and no good to her worried. Let the doctors see her first, then you can help." Vision soothed, stroking her head gently.

Tony looked ashen, about to comfort Natasha when he saw Fury calling. Everyone froze, Sam nodding and gesturing for Tony to attend the call. As soon as he picked up, the team heard Fury's scream, “Motherfuckers you had one job. Stop the bombs from exploding and get Rumlow to me alive." 

“Listen. We saved New York, thats what should matter." Tony snapped, too annoyed and frustrated to remember basic decorum. 

“Yes but one bomb went off in the Atlantic and Rumlow died. The team will need to go underground for sometime while I fix this mess out with the governments. The people hold you responsible for the damage to the aquatic life." 

“What the fuck. We saved everyone and now we're the ones getting punished?” Sam complained.

“Like I said, you didn't follow the exact instructions and now the government's pissed. Just head to the compound and stay there till I call you all back. Agent's Wilson and Barton, you can head home. Now in fact.”

The call ended and Tony started to list every swear word he knew. Sam hesitated to leave since both you and Steve were still hurt, yet Natasha placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, “Both of you go. We'll tell you when they get better.”

Sam nodded, sending one last look to you both through the door before leaving, Clint waving at everyone and following. 

“We'll need to shift them to the compound's healing wing right now." Tony stated, rushing back into the medical bay. Natasha, Vision and Wanda watched on as he argued with the doctors inside before coming back out. “They'll inject them both with a shitload of morphine while we fly to the compound. They've just done the basics right now, removed the bullet and the shrapnel and bandaged the wounds.”

The team nodded at Tony's words, heading inside as the doctors injected you both. Tony carefully picked you up, Vision getting Steve as they rushed back up to the roof. It must have been two in the morning, but nobody cared at that moment. Natasha activated the Quinjet, Tony nodding as she took off. 

Flying it as fast as it would go, Natasha landed it in record time at the compound, Tony and Vision flying out again with you both with Natasha and Wanda hot on their trail. 

Putting you both in the care of the medical team at the compound, everyone waited outside for any news. Sometime after ten in the morning, one of the doctors came out, asking everyone to come in and see you both. Walking inside, they saw you asleep while Steve was awake, his eyes on you. 

“How are you feeling?" Asked Natasha, placing a hand on his not-injured shoulder. 

Tearing his eyes away from you, he looked up at her and sent her a wry smile, “I've been better, but I've been worse too.”

“Not to be an asshole, but what the fuck happened this time Steve?" Tony asked, his features dripping with concern for you.

Steve relayed yesterday's incidents, the team listening on. Just as he finished, his eyes went to you. You shifted, opening your eyes and taking in your surroundings. The ringing in your head was gone, replaced with a dull pain in your back. You saw most of the team, Natasha rushing towards you and clasping your hand. Panicked, she spoke in Russian, asking if you were okay. 

You nodded, glancing at Steve. He had saved your life. Wanda walked to you, placing her hands on your arm and closing her eyes. You felt energy surge through you, slowly healing you enough for you to sit up. Hugging her, you concentrated and healed yourself. When you felt free of pain, you carefully stepped out of the bed, Steve mimicking your movements. 

“I'm feeling much better now, I'll go clean up." You said, starting to walk towards your room. 

Natasha and Wanda offered to help you but you waved away their offers. Once inside the room, you smiled, it was exactly the same as when you left it. Heading into the bathroom, you drew yourself a hot bath and eased into the tub. While your wounds had healed, the water still stung. You washed away all the soot, grime and blood, leaving the bath smelling like roses. 

Changing into a comfortable sweater and leggings, you headed downstairs. It was now almost lunch time, but you did not feel hungry. Walking out onto the lawn, you took off your slippers and felt the grass beneath your feet. Sitting down on the grass, you watched the sky and clouds, eyes occasionally shifting to the woods. 

You kept thinking about Steve and how he saved you. You had told him to leave, it would have been almost impossible for both of you to survive yet he still took that chance and chose to save you too. It made you rethink some opinions you had formed about him. 

The subject of your thoughts had just got out of his own shower as well, in a t-shirt and loose pyjamas. His shoulder still smartened from the pain of the bullet, the wound still fresh. Wanda could not heal him, she barely could heal anyone other than you and that too with a lot of practice. 

His phone went off and he checked it, seeing multiple messages from Sharon. Some asked if he was okay, others talked about how he would have to stay at the Compound and how disappointed she was about this. The most recent message was a file. Clicking it open, he realised it was all the information Sharon had gathered about you. His gaze shifted upwards and he saw you sit down onto the lawn. His brow furrowed, why were you out alone and not having food? Steve's mind shifted back to when you pushed him out of the way when the man was about to attack him and then again when you took the taser shock in his stead. 

Decision made, he closed his phone, pocketing it and heading down to the kitchen. Grabbing a plate and filling it with an assortment of breads, fruit and cheese. He hesitated for a second before stepping out onto the lawn and heading towards you. 

You heard someone walking towards you. Expecting anyone but Steve you turned your head. There stood the super soldier, with a plate full of food. Without a word, he sat down next to you, plate in between you both as he gazed ahead.

You turned to him, eyebrow raised and he turned to you. Your heart froze, the sunlight illuminating his face, his hair and eyelashes gold and his skin glowing as he spoke, “I just wanted to thank you for yesterday. You looked out for me and saved me twice." 

His words surprised you, a part of you wanted to scream at the entity in front of you to de-posess Steve's meatsuit, yet the look in his eyes made you know he was being sincere. 

You smiled at him, a good genuine smile like the ones he had seen you give to the other members of the team and you replied, “Thank you for saving my life. You risked yours to protect mine.”

“That's what a captain does. I know I've been less than a gentleman since you came and I apologise." 

“That's okay." 

You both sat in awkward silence for a few moments before he gestured to the food. You picked up an apple, starting to eat and he made himself a bread and cheese sandwich. You saw him check his phone, catching sight of a file with your name on it. He turned to you, apologising, “I'm sorry, I know it's a breach of privacy but I didn't read it.”

You shook your head, shifting so now you sat facing him. Tucking a strand of hair behind your ear you, you tilted your head and said, “What do you want to know? Ask away." 

He looked surprised, shutting his phone and moving so he sat facing you as well. Hesitating for a second, he was spurred on by your encouraging smile and asked, "How did you end up in the Red Room?" 

Letting out a dry chuckle you responded, “You certainly don't beat around the bush Captain.”

He looked apologetic, about to say something when you raised your hand to stop him. Taking a deep breath, gaze on the grass as you started to speak, "They heard about my magic and sent people to get me. They killed my parents in front of me and then dragged me away.”

Looking up, you saw Steve's horrified expression. A million thoughts were running through his head, your words explaining so much of your behaviour. He felt like the absolute worst person for the way he treated you. “I-I had no idea. I'm so sorry." 

“It's not like you killed them. Don't apologise. Next question?” You said, not meeting his gaze, wanting to move on from this topic.

He caught on to this, clearing his throat and asking, “What's your body count?”

Your head snapped to face him, expression incredulous. Was he really asking how many people you had slept with? What the actual fuck. Noticing your expression, he went on, “I mean it's bound to be high for someone like you but I'm curious.”

Great. Now he was calling you a slut. Just when you thought he was not an absolute imbecile, he proved you wrong. “What do you mean exactly when you say a person like me?" You asked testily, ready to stab him in the nuts and run away if he said something offensive.

“You being an assassin and all, I assumed you'd have killed a lot of people. You said something along those lines to me. I understand if you don't want to answer the question." He explained and you sighed in relief.

Of course the All-American boy was asking about the people you killed, not the amount of people you slept with. While the former was pretty high, the latter remained in minus figures. “Around 102 as an assassin. Including the others in the Room.”

He gasped at the number, trying to sell it off as a cough before he asked, “Do you regret any of them?" 

“No. It was kill or be killed and I did what I had to. Most of my targets were mercy kills at the end of it. Since I hadn't graduated, they never sent me on missions alone. I'd always accompany graduates, they'd torture and maim while I landed the final blow." 

You knew your answer might antagonise him, he might find you irredeemable for your lack of regret at taking so many lives, but you would not lie to him. 

He looked into your eyes, trying to find a sliver of dishonesty but found none. “Is it discerning choosing such a different lifestyle?”

“It's a bit odd. I have to reign myself in at times. I do know the paths I take will always be a bit muddled and what I was will never go away and I'm okay with that." 

He nodded slowly, taking in all your words and understanding you much better. It seemed there was a heart underneath the pretty exterior, one not made of stone. “Any more questions?" You asked, popping an orange slice in your mouth. 

Steve shook his head no, seeing your eyes start to glint. “Do you mind if I ask you a few?"

Your words threw him off, yet you were smiling and it put him at ease. He nodded again and you started, “Why did you enlist?”

It sent him down memory lane, remembering the days when he used to be a skinny, emaciated kid getting beat up in every alleyway in Brooklyn. “I never liked bullies, ever since I was a kid. I'd always get into fights that I could never win and I wanted to do something for my home.”

“I heard you used to resemble a skeleton back then. It's a bit hard to believe." You spoke, your tone teasing. 

Your words made him snort. Opening his phone, he scrolled through the pictures to find a portrait he had made of himself as how he looked pre-serum. He showed it to you, seeing your eyes get wide in shock before you smiled at him. “Was I that funny looking?”

“No no, I think you look like an angel. Like a cherub being starved to death." 

He blinked for a second, taking in what you said. Your expression fell, thinking he took offence at your words. To your surprise, he started to laugh, loudly and deeply. He was shaking so violently from the laughter that he fell onto his back and you watched on, eyes wide. He looked so at ease when he laughed, his eyes crinkling slightly. Sitting up again, you saw him wince for a second. 

“What's wrong?" You asked immediately. 

“It's nothing. Just the bullet wound on the shoulder, it hurts a bit." He responded, playing off his pain.

“Sleeve up.” 

“There's really no need, it'll heal on its own." He protested, but you were not hearing it.

Relenting, he pulled up his sleeve and you saw the wound. It still looked bad, despite having been bandaged and you could understand why it hurt. It would scar later on and you could not bear the thought of anything marring his perfect skin. Gently placing your hand over the wound, you heard him inhale sharply at the cold temperature of your skin. Concentrating, you made your magic heal his wound. 

He felt the familiar tingling, looking down after you pulled away to see the wound having healed completely. He tested it out, flexing and stretching his arm and when he felt no pain he smiled at you, “Thanks. I owe you one." 

“Consider it payment for not telling Tasha about me torturing Boss Finley." You responded, smiling back at him.

~

“She's not in her room, he's not in his. Oh God do you think they finally killed each other?" Wanda burst out, clearly panicking as Vision tried to calm her down.

The team was searching for you, both of you had missed lunch and were nowhere to be found. Tony was about to head to the control room to check the security footage when he looked out the window. 

“Well slap my ass and call me a dumb bitch." He said, letting out a low whistle. 

“Gladly, but what happened?" Natasha asked, coming to stand next to him, Wanda and Vision flanking his other side.

Tony pointed to what he saw, the team's gaze looking in the direction of his finger. Natasha's eyes widened, Wanda's mouth falling open in shock as Vision asked, “When did we clone the Captain and (Y/N)?”

“Those aren't clones." Tony said, unable to tear his eyes off you two. 

You were giggling, a hand on Steve’s shoulder as he clutched his sides laughing. 

“It's the end of the world. It has to be." Tony declared, whipping out his phone to take pictures of you both and send them to Sam.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you guys liked that chapter, they're finally not hating each other yay! Your comments and kudos make my day, please tell me what you think of the story below!  
See you next update lovelies!


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my babies! I've been stuck on this chapter for a while and I finally forced myself to finished it. It's a bit shorter than I intended, so I apologise for that. Still hope you guys like it.   
Also a huge shout out to all of you for all the kudos and comments, cannot believe we have crossed 300 kudos! Love you all so much and thank you for the appreciation.   
Without further ado, here's the chapter!

You sat across Steve, laughing hard as he continued with his story. God, he was so funny. It was not something you had expected, he always seemed so stiff and authoritative, having a good time never seeming like one of his priorities. How wrong you were. 

“So there I stood, body mass and strength similar to that of a gerbil, about to be attacked by three 200 pound meatheads." 

When he finished, you were practically in tears. You took deep breaths to compose yourself, failing when your glance fell on his face, a fit of giggles escaping you. He watched you with a small smile, your pealing laughter like soft bells. “Should we head inside? It's past lunchtime." He asked.

Shaking your head, you looked up at the sky, “I'd like to watch the sunset. You don't have to wait for me.”

You expected him to get up and leave but he did not move. This made you smile internally. You watched the sun slowly sink down, Steve looking like a golden statue. It had been a while since he had sat still and watched the sunset and now he felt at peace. You were bathed in the sun's light, looking so at ease and calm and he could not help but mirror those feelings. In the small amount of time you both had started talking, he had realised how fun you were as a person. 

You were sassy, hilarious and so self assured. He felt himself actively trying to be funnier just so he could hear you laugh. When the sun finally set, Steve shot up and you followed suit, dusting off your leggings and picking up the now empty plate. 

Both of you started to head inside in comfortable silence, happy at this positive turn of events. Once inside, you saw the whole team waiting for both of you, smiles on their faces. You immediately narrowed your eyes at their expressions as Tony called out, “Enjoy your picnic?" 

You glared at him, Steve squaring his shoulders and replying, “Yes. Very much in fact." 

This made you smile and you stuck your tongue out at Tony before going towards the kitchen. Placing away the plate, you took your seat at the table. Everyone else joined you, the food being served. “Why are we at the compound?" You asked suddenly, heads snapping in your direction. 

“Well, Fury and the government's mad at us for fucking up the mission. One bomb blew off in the Atlantic and Crossbones died from the subsequent explosion. We're hiding out here till things smooth over." Tony explained, his mouth full of food. 

You nodded slowly, slightly annoyed that you all were being punished for saving lives. You did not mind staying at the compound though, it gave you a chance to relax and unwind for a while and just spend time with the team. 

Everyone was done with their food and you got up to head to your room when Tony stopped you. “Since we have nothing to do tomorrow, we were all debating whether we train or watch movies. What do you think?”

“I don't mind any of the two." You replied, confused as to why movies were even part of the equation. 

Tony's eyes lit up, expression devious as he replied, “Perfect. Movies it is, tomorrow in the lounge after lunch." 

Your eyes narrowed, what was he planning? Shaking off your suspicions, you headed upstairs to see Steve about to enter his room. Seeing you, he paused, stepping away from the door and smiling at you. 

“I'll be going for a run in the morning, do you want to join me? Unless you feel you can’t keep up." He offered, his tone teasing at the end and you raised an eyebrow. 

"I bet I can beat you easily.” You replied cockily. 

“We'll see. Meet me in the kitchen at 6." 

You nodded, opening the door to your room and saying, “Good night Steve.”

“Good night (Y/N)." 

Once inside your room, you flopped onto the bed, not believing today's events. You were glad you had mostly sorted out your problem with Steve, it had taken you both long enough. 

~

Up by 5:30, you stretched and got out of bed. Washing your face with ice cold water to wake yourself up, you changed into a pair of grey workout leggings and a matching shirt. One of Tony's multiple assistants had sent most of the team's clothes to the compound since none of you had time to pack before coming to the compound. 

Tying up your hair, you headed downstairs to the kitchen. Pouring yourself a glass of orange juice, you sat on the marble countertop waiting for Steve. A few minutes passed and he walked in wearing black track bottoms and a grey sleeveless shirt. His muscles bulged as he walked towards you, and you tried to be subtle about your ogling. 

“Good morning.” 

“Hey.” You replied, sending him a nod and hopping off the counter.

Following him out into the lawn, you saw it was barely light out. He walked to the front of the compound in long strides and you matched his pace. Stopping once in front, he turned to you and said, “I usually take a lap around the whole compound. You up for it?”

You nodded and he broke out into a slow jog, you following. “I’m starting slow to make it easy for you.” He said and you rolled your eyes. 

Just as the words left his mouth, you rushed past him and he felt a gust of wind before looking ahead to see you speed ahead. Shaking his head and letting out a chuckle, he increased his speed. Catching up to you, he called out, “You can’t beat me.” 

“I’ve just started old man. This was me taking it slow.” You replied, sending him a wink and increasing your speed slightly, pulling up further than him. 

He strained, catching up to you again, a self righteous smirk on his face. “First one back to the front of the compound wins.” You called out, not waiting for him to agree as you shot off even faster. 

The wind hit your face, your feet flying over the dew covered grass on the lawn, feeling Steve right behind you. It was exhilarating and you let out a laugh. Turning sharply, you turned your head back to catch Steve’s eye, sending him a smile before turning back ahead again. You heard him grunt before seeing him land a few metres in front of you and continue to run. He must have taken a leap to get ahead, what a cheat! Clenching your jaw in determination, you started to run faster, picturing yourself back home as the front of the compound started to appear again. 

Not wanting Steve to win, you tapped into your reserve energy and slowly started to pull up ahead of Steve. You could feel him try to match pace, you both were almost neck to neck. With a final burst of energy, you shot a few inches ahead and reached the front. Skidding to a stop, you turned to see Steve coming towards you at full speed. Raising your hands, you closed your eyes readying yourself for impact. 

When it never came, you opened your eyes to see Steve panting in front of you, having stopped just in time. “I win.” You stated, smirking up at him. 

He rolled his eyes, nodding begrudgingly and you took the chance to gloat, “I get a prize obviously.” 

He smiled at your behaviour, it was rare you cracked your serious exterior and behaved so childish. “Whatever you want.” He offered.

“Anything I want?” You repeated, raising an eyebrow. 

Stepping closer, he nodded and repeated in a low voice, “Anything.” 

Looking up at him, seeing the beads of sweat trickle down his forehead, his shirt hugging him as his eyes sparkled, you had a list of positions you wanted to try with him. The proximity was doing something to you so you turned to head inside, gesturing for him to follow. He went into the kitchen, pulling out a bottle of water from the fridge and starting to drink. When finished, he poured the rest of the contents onto his head to cool off. 

You observed the water run in rivulets down his throat to his chest, soaking his shirt as he shook his now wet hair, running a hand through it in attempts to smooth it yet causing it to become messier. Oh god how you wished to see this scene on replay all day, he was sex on a stick. But no, you did not like him, and you would not stare at him. Hardening your resolve, you tore your eyes away as he called out, “I’m heading upstairs for a shower. See you at breakfast.” 

You looked back at him, about to send a smile when you saw his back was already turned. Your eyes, having a mind of their own, shifted their gaze straight to his gorgeous ass. God, you hated to see him leave but you loved to watch him go. 

Loitering around in the kitchen till you were sure Steve was in his room, you counted to five just in case and then headed upstairs. It was still early and you doubted anyone from the team would be awake, especially since there was no schedule for today. Once inside your room, you grabbed a book of sonnets and drew yourself a warm bath. Getting inside, you flicked leisurely through the pages, fingers tracing a few couplets you liked the most. Shakespeare’s sonnet 130 made you laugh, sonnet 33 made you tear up. Once you were halfway through the book, you quickly washed up and got out. 

Since you had to lounge with the team you to wear a pair of sweatpants and a full sleeved white t-shirt. Putting on a pair of slippers and snapping your fingers to dry your hair, you checked the time. It was almost 12 and this surprised you- the bath had taken longer than you expected. 

Tying up your hair in a bun you rushed outside. You were hungry, and made your way straight to the kitchen. After some rummaging, you poured yourself a bowl of cereal. Taking a seat at one of the barstools at the counter, you started to eat your late breakfast when you heard footsteps. “Hello Wanda.” You called out, not turning around. 

You heard the witch grunt in frustration, “I was going to try and surprise you. How come you’re out so late?” 

She took a seat at the barstool next to you and you saw she was casually dressed too, in a pair of pyjamas and a shirt you were sure belonged to Vision. “I was actually up pretty early. Went for a jog with Steve.” 

Wanda shrieked at your words, causing you to wince and then raise an eyebrow. “Did anything happen?” She asked with urgency. 

Wanting to eat the cereal in peace, you shook your head, grabbing her hand and making her place a finger onto your forehead, making her see the morning’s events as you ate. She removed her finger, squealing and gushing, “Oh my god he was going to kiss you.” 

“Unlikely, since me and him got on non-murder terms yesterday. Besides, Sharon has her hooks deep in him and he likes her.” You replied, munching away at your almost finished cereal.

“Why do you always bring her up?” 

“Because she is very much relevant. Also why are we even talking about this? I don’t like him so it doesn’t matter what he feels.” You replied obstinately, jumping off the chair and placing your bowl into the dishwasher. 

Wanda rolled her eyes at you before stretching slightly, running a hand through her currently wild mane. “Where is everyone else?” You asked and she shrugged in response.

“I think Tony’s picking out movies, Vis is with him. No idea where Steve and Natasha are.” 

Just as she finished, you heard the ding of a phone. Wanda checked her screen, brows furrowing before she turned to you and said, “Everyone’s in the lounge already. I guess they decided we’ll have lunch during the movies.” 

Your brows furrowed at her words, she was clearly hiding something. Before you could question her, she turned on her heel and started rushing towards the lounge. You followed her at a slower pace, racking your brains to figure out what Wanda was up to. 

Inside the lounge, you saw Tony comfortable on a bean bag, Natasha curled up on an armchair while Vision and Wanda were sprawled out on the couch. That left the love-seat Without thinking, you sat down, making yourself comfortable. Everyone else’s eyes turned to you and you raised a confused eyebrow. Steve walked in and that’s when it hit you. 

They had deliberately made you both end up sitting together and with Steve’s wide frame it would be a cosy fit on the love-seat. Oh how you wanted to kill the four of them, why did they have to play cupid when you and Steve just barely stopped hating each other? Steve stood at the door, unsure of what to do. Taking a deep breath, you pulled up your legs, hugging your knees and pressing yourself to the side of the seat, gesturing for Steve to come sit next to you. 

He strode past everyone else, sending an almost imperceptible kick to Tony’s shin before gingerly perching himself next to you. He smelled like soap and wildflowers, hair still a bit wet from his shower. He was trying his damnedest to make sure there was space between the two of you, an impossible feat since the couch was meant to hold a PDA happy couple, not two practical virgins who hated each others guts two days ago. 

“I won’t bite. And if I do you’ll like it.” You whispered, realising it was ridiculous to behave like if you both touched the world would end. Steve’s eyes widened at your words before seeing your teasing smile. Relaxing and leaning back, his outer thigh grazed yours. You froze for a second before calming down. Curling up so your head rested against the armrest, you curled your legs up under you, your toes touching Steve’s thigh. 

You saw Tony flicking through options, occasionally asking you all if the movie choice was okay. Finally, they decided on Titanic. This intrigued you since you had never really seen the movie and you knew it was one of the most famous romantic movies. It was a perfect opportunity to do a bit more research on the whole subject of love. 

As the opening credits started to roll, you turned to see Steve’s head leaning back, mouth open as he dozed. Sending him a small kick, you waited for him to sit up with a start before gesturing to the screen.He sent you a sheepish smile, raising his arm to scratch the back of his head. You were about to say something when you heard the first dialogues and instead turned to the movie.

Steve watched you watch the movie. He observed how your expressions changed at every scene, the intrigue in your eyes evident as you saw Rose and Jack dancing. Steve’s mind shifted back to when you danced with him at the Roosevelt, as did yours. You tried to create parallels with your dance and that of the couple on the screen. They looked happy, they felt in like they were in love. Your dance with Steve had been pained and rigid up until the very end when he had pulled you close to him. That was when you stopped feeling like a stranger in his arms. 

As soon as the drawing scene started, you tensed up. You could tell Steve went rigid too, you snuck a glance and saw his jaw was set. He turned to you and you immediately looked away, cursing at yourself for making things awkward again. Clearing your throat, you got up and said, “I’ll go get popcorn.” 

Tony paused the film, turning back to you deviously, “But you’ll miss the film.” 

“I’ll be back soon enough. If its that much of a problem then you can pause the movie after this scene.” You replied, rolling your eyes at his asinine behaviour.

“I’ll come with you.” Steve offered, jumping up and not waiting for you to agree. 

‘Great. Just fucking great.’ You thought as you walked out, Steve on your heels. The walk to the kitchen was mostly quiet, both of you still trying to shake off the awkwardness created from the eye contact. Once inside the kitchen, it was as if you both took a sigh of relief before making eye contact again. You smiled at him now, and he crooked up one corner of his mouth. This action made your heart burst and your knees feel weak before you mentally slapped yourself. 

Moving past him, you took out a packet of popcorn, putting it into the microwave. Getting onto the counter, you saw Steve step closer, now at eye level with you. “What do you think of the film?” He asked.

“It’s okay for now. Some scenes resonate more than others.” 

“You still haven’t told me what you want as a prize.” 

“I’ll think about it.” You replied.

He smiled, moving closer and you were sure he was about to say something else when you heard the microwave beep. Jumping off the counter, you took it out into a bowl. “Do me a favour, see if there’s any chips or something.” You called out, not turning to face Steve.

You heard him rummage while you placed the popcorn bowl on a tray, along with glasses and bottles of soda. Making the tray float, you turned to see Steve’s arms full of packets of chips. Making those float too, you both walked back to the lounge, the snacks following. Back inside, you saw Tony had paused the movie and you made the snacks land onto the table. 

Everyone picked up what they wanted while you grabbed the bowl of popcorn. Sitting back down on the couch, you started to eat. Steve came to sit next to you and you sat up straight. He turned to you questioningly before you put down the popcorn bowl between you both. Turning back to the screen, you missed his surprised expression. Tony played it again and you watched, occasionally picking up a few pieces of popcorn. 

As the ship started to sink, you saw Steve lean forward in anticipation. You watched the people scream and cry, blinking in confusion when you realised you barely felt anything seeing them. You should have been feeling some type of remorse, did your indifference run so deep?

You were so worried about this emotional development or lack thereof, that you did not check as you reached for the popcorn. Your hand collided with something warm and smooth and you heard Steve inhale sharply. You directed your gaze to the bowl, eyes widening when you realised your hand was resting on top of Steve’s. Looking up, your eyes met Steve’s and you froze. 

For a second, nobody said anything before you carefully lifted your hand, turning away and muttering an apology. He turned to the screen too, slightly stiff. He had been having those palpitations all day, and now having your hand over his made him feel happy. Yet, this happiness was mixed with guilt. Images of Sharon kept running through his mind as he interacted with you. 

The movie ended and Wanda turned to you, a smile on her face. “What did you think of it?” 

“Well, it was absolutely unnecessary for the male to die. Plus, I’m more interested in that necklace, how gorgeous was it?” You replied, causing Wanda to giggle.

“Say the word kid, I can buy you one if you like.” Tony offered, sending you a wink and you rolled your eyes. 

“I’d rather you say that to Pepper.” 

Steve watched this interaction, his stomach turning when Tony offered to buy you the necklace. What was this feeling? Snapped out of his thoughts with Natasha’s hand on his shoulder, he saw you walk out with everyone else. “We have a few hours before dinner. Are you okay?”

He waved off the redhead’s questions, excusing himself to rush out after you. You were not in the hallway, and he called out to Wanda, jogging up to her. “Do you know where (Y/N) is?”

“I think she went to the library, why do you ask?”

Not answering her, he nodded his thanks, rushing towards the library. He had just about reached when Tony appeared, asking Steve to follow him to the lab. He stood hesitant, eyes on the library door before finally relenting and following Tony. You were blissfully oblivious, lounging on one of the armchairs and reading poetry. You stayed there till it was time for dinner. 

Heading to the dinner table, you took your seat across Steve and saw him sit up straighter upon seeing you. All of you ate silently till Wanda asked, “Do you have any idea how long we’re under house arrest?” 

Every head turned to Tony as he replied, “No idea. It may take a while for Fury to sort out this whole mess.” 

“No offense but this is very unstimulating. I imagine we’ll all go insane if this keeps up.” You stated, the team nodding their agreement. 

“Should we take a vacation? I could have the jets take us to my island.” Tony offered.

“As tempting as it sounds, we need to wait for Fury’s orders. We can’t risk antagonising him further.” Steve said evenly, bursting everyone else’s bubble. 

Finishing your food, you started to walk back towards the library, intending to finish the book. Steve got up a few moments after you to throw off any suspicion, reaching the library to catch you looking wistfully at the large grand piano in the room. Walking towards you, he smiled slowly, “I could teach you if you’d like.” 

Turning to him, you nodded, sitting down and watching him sit down next to you. “This can be my prize for winning the race.” You said, smiling up at him. 

“Watch me.” He said, placing his fingers on the ivories and starting to play. 

It took you a while to figure out that he was playing the theme from Titanic. Stopping, he pressed one key with his finger and then turned to you. You imitated him, pressing a bit too harshly.

He winced slightly at the sour note before covering your hand with his. You looked up at him again as you felt his fingers manoeuvre yours, making them press down onto the keys gently. You felt yourself smiling and he mirrored your action. He continued to teach you how to play, your gaze never leaving his as you saw your reflection in his ocean eyes. Finally, he tore away his gaze, removing his hand. 

For an unknown reason, your skin burned from the lack of contact. Attempting to focus, you recreated the tune he had just taught you, gently pressing the keys. Once finished, you looked up at him for approval. He nodded smiling before continuing to teach you. 

You both stayed like this for another hour, till he got up, excusing himself and saying he had to sleep. Walking towards the door, he turned back and said, “I’ll see you tomorrow morning for our jog.” 

You nodded, watching his retreating figure. When you assumed he had left, you started to play again, your fingers gliding expertly over the keys as the tune of the Moonlight Sonata played. You knew how to play the piano perfectly, but what you did not know was that Steve was standing outside at the library door, hearing you play. Shaking his head and smiling, he walked up to his room, looking forward to tomorrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I hope you all liked the chapter, I'll update soon and throw in an extra long chapter because you guys are angels and deserve it! Do let me know what you think of the story in the comments, I love hearing from you guys. See you next update lovelies!


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my beautiful babies I am back! I’ve been typing down the chapter on the notes app in my phone, so forgive the shorter length and pray that a new laptop drops from the sky 🙃🙃  
I have missed you guys a lot, your kudos and comments warm my heart, clear my skin and water my plants.  
Enjoy!

Developing a routine with Steve came easier to you than you would like. It was beginning to seem like clockwork. You both would get up and jog around the compound for an hour and a half exactly, then go to shower. You’d then have breakfast with the team, usually getting separated when Steve would have work or when Wanda and Natasha demanded your presence. Lunch again would be with the team, Steve would be in the lab with Tony while you trained until dinner. After dinner, you both would practice the piano in the library for exactly half an hour and every single time, Steve would excuse himself and cut the lesson short. 

Two weeks had passed since you watched the movie with the team and you could tell everyone was becoming slowly annoyed with the prospect of doing absolutely nothing. You all would train to give yourselves some purpose, waiting for Fury’s call, which never came. It scared you, the thought that you might stop being an Avenger altogether. It felt like your only path to redemption, the only way you could attempt to walk on the path to righteousness, as cliched as it sounded. Having it snatched away from you so quickly seemed cruel, especially when it was partially your fault in not completing the mission properly. 

If only you had destroyed all the bombs and worked quicker, maybe the team would not have been in this situation in the first place. This guilt, along with other things, bothered you deeply. 

You woke up late, having spent the night attempting to meditate. These past few weeks, your heartbeat had been erratic and it worried you. You would feel palpitations, shivers and even extreme nausea, these symptoms exacerbating when you were around Steve, yet you were not sick. You did not fall sick. Denying any emotional cause of your symptoms, you chose to force peace into your life under the delusion that meditating and feeling calm would fix everything. 

You were failing miserably. Every time you closed your eyes, you would see Steve’s face. His gorgeous eyes twinkling as he told you a joke, eyes crinkling as he threw his head back in laughter, jaw clenched when he concentrated deeply on something. You could almost feel his skin against yours, his heady scent infiltrating your senses as he got closer to you. These thoughts would leave you annoyed, frustrated and full of confusion. 

Why? Why were you even thinking about these things? You and Steve were friends. Nothing more, nothing less. What you felt for him was platonic, just a friend caring for another friend. It took so much effort to get to this stage of friendship and civility and there was no way you were going to jeopardise it by even beginning to consider any other type of emotion. 

Despite being friends, there was still a certain amount of restraint between you two. You noticed how he never talked to you about his relationships with either of the Carter women, while he did so freely with Natasha or Wanda. You noticed how he always would attempt to keep at least an inch of space between you both, making sure you were never touching, unless it was a piano lesson. 

Steve, in turn noticed how you never hugged him or leaned against him like you did with Tony or Sam. You never really shared any feelings or deep emotions with him, hell you barely showed any emotions around him. He knew you were not to blame, it was not something you were comfortable doing. Letting your guard down and showing your weakness was against your very nature, against everything that had been instilled in you for most of your life. 

Shaking your head to rid yourself of thoughts concerning Steve, your eyes shifted to a piece of folded paper on the floor near your door. Brows furrowing in confusion, you waved a finger, making the paper float up to you. Opening it, you saw Steve’s neat cursive handwriting. ‘I hope you are feeling okay, you didn’t come for our jog and I decided to not disturb you. I’ll be training if you need me. Steve x.’ 

Your hands traced the words, a slight smile on your face. Your eyes caught the ‘x’, small and almost unnoticeable at first. You blinked once, then twice. The addition of that minuscule letter could mean everything, or it could mean nothing. He was probably being friendly, you told yourself, slowly getting out of bed. Stretching slightly, you took a warm bath to ease your tense muscles. 

Once outside, you dried yourself with a flick of your hand, changing into a basic black full sleeved shirt and a comfortable pair of leggings. Most of your closet either consisted of monotone casuals or clothes meant to show off your svelte physique, the latter coming in handy either to rile up Steve when you had been teasing him or acting as costumes for missions. 

Tying up your hair, you trudged slowly to the kitchen. Everyone had probably eaten lunch by now, back in their rooms or working on some project. Tony was in the lab more often, tinkering away at something ‘top secret’ and it piqued your curiosity, but right now you had a bigger priority. 

Finishing the food the team had left for you, you practically ran towards the training room. Opening the door, you saw Steve grunting as he threw hits at a punching bag. Your eyes grazed his taut back, his broad shoulders, biceps rippling as his punches landed with loud thumps-he was really beating the shit out of it. Walking inside, you saw him pause and turn to you. 

He sent you a smile, waiting for you to get closer before asking, “Would you like to spar?” 

Immediately your mind shifted to your previous fight with him. The close proximity, the scratching, him pinning you down; it all seemed to make your heartbeat increase and your face feel hot. Deciding that a fight would not be a good idea currently, you shook your head. “I was wondering if you would like to walk with me instead. I was going to take a stroll in the woods and-” 

“I’d love to come, let me just take a shower.”

Gesturing for you to follow, he headed upstairs. Once outside his room, you stood vigilant against the door as he entered. A second passed and he turned around, eyebrow raised, “Won’t you come inside?” 

Your eyes widened, he was asking you to come into his room. He had never done that before. You wanted to say no, but a part of you was curious to know what his room was like, so you followed him inside. 

Big mistake. As soon as you entered, the familiar musk hit your nose. His whole room smelt like him and it was driving you insane. Looking around, you were mildly surprised. The walls were a pale sky blue, shelves of books to one side, his bed perfectly made. The only thing messy was his desk, full of papers which he was now organising, his back to you. Otherwise his room was rather bare and you walked towards the bookshelf to see what he liked to read. 

One bound leather book stood out to you and you reached for it, the worn cover soft against your fingertips. Steve turned to see you and walked up to you, scratching the back of his head shyly, “Those are my drawings.” 

Your eyes widened immediately, realising how private it was and you tried to put it back saying, “I didn’t realise, I won’t open it.”

Covering your hand with his, he stopped you, guiding the journal back to you. “It’s no problem, make yourself comfortable and browse through. I’ll be out in a bit.” 

You waited for the sound of the shower turning on before you debated where to sit. His bed was tempting but you restrained yourself, choosing to sit down on the floor instead, journal in your lap. Opening it, you started to flip through the sketches. The first few ones were self portraits of him pre-serum, the plucky yet skeletal Steve making you smile. Flipping the page, you froze when you saw the face of a smiling female. Her eyes and hair were brown, lips blood red. Every feature was sketched perfectly, hinting at the effort gone into making the drawings, as well as suggesting that the artist was quite familiar with the subject. Underneath, you saw Steve’s handwriting, ‘Peggy C.’ 

‘Oh, so that was Peggy Carter’, you thought to yourself, taking her in. Sure, she was attractive but a voice inside you screamed ‘I’m prettier’. Rolling your eyes, you muted the voice, it was beneath you to be vain and compare your looks to others. You kept turning the pages, more and more pictures of Peggy coming up. Some were of her working, others just candids of her relaxed. 

Just as you were about to get tired of seeing her face, you saw Steve now drawing the New York skyline, along with a few portraits of Natasha and Wanda. He drew out Stark Tower and the Compound. You stopped again when you saw a picture of Sharon, willing yourself to not incinerate it. ‘You don’t care. You are mature. You can’t just burn anything you don’t like.’ You repeated to yourself, about to turn the page again when Steve walked out, drying his hair. 

Flipping back to the portrait of Natasha, you looked up at the super soldier. He was in a pair of jeans and one of his signature tight t-shirts, a navy blue one this time. Walking up to you, he saw what page you were on, realising what he had drawn up ahead. Rushing to you with a panicked expression, he took the journal out of your hands. You looked up at him questioningly as he placed it back into the shelf. Taking a moment, he replied, “The ones up ahead aren’t ready yet.” 

Nodding, you jumped up off the floor, gesturing for him to follow you out. His behaviour struck you as a bit odd- he was the one who allowed you to look at the drawings in the first place, but you shrugged it off. It was private and you should be happy he let you see the drawings at all. Realising you had been completely silent since he got out of the shower, you spoke up, “You draw very well.” 

“Thank you. It’s just something I do to pass the time, I’m hardly that good.” He replied, waving off the compliment as usual, too humble to acknowledge his talents. 

“Accept the compliment Captain.” You said, turning to wink at him playfully. 

Once out onto the lawn, you took a deep breath, inhaling the fresh air and smiling blissfully. It was late summer, almost four whole months since you joined the Avengers. Steve watched you smile, wanting to stay frozen in this moment forever. He had meant to ask why you did not join him in the morning, yet his questions died away at seeing you so calm. 

You walked on and he followed, letting you take the lead, content to walk behind you just so you could turn back to him occasionally and throw him a smile. Once at the edge of the lawn you stopped, waiting for Steve to stand next to you. Looking down at you, he saw dark circles underneath your eyes, his brows furrowing with concern. As you both started to walk into the woods, he asked, “You look tired, aren’t you sleeping well?” 

You sent him a wry smile, gaze on the ground as you replied, “Sleep rarely comes easily to people like me I suppose. Plus I can’t help but- never mind. It’s nothing.”

Forehead creasing in confusion, Steve insisted, “Hey, it’s okay. You can tell me.” 

“I feel like it’s my fault that the team is in exile. If I had just dealt with everything in the mission properly, we wouldn’t be here. It’s all because of me.” 

You walked on, not meeting Steve’s gaze until you felt a light grip on your wrist, stopping you from going any further. Turning to see Steve holding on to you, you looked up at him curiously. Placing both hands on your arms in a gentle grip, he effectively held you in place. Leaning down so he was almost at eye level with you, he spoke, “Listen to me (Y/N) it was not your fault. It was one of your first high risk missions and you did perfectly. Don’t blame yourself for what happened, anyone else would have cracked under that kind of pressure. You managed to diffuse every single bomb but one, take down so many of Brock’s men and you saved me twice. None of us could have done better and I mean that.” 

The intensity of his gaze made you believe he was being honest and you sent him a nod, slightly overwhelmed with emotions. This was one of the first times you had been vulnerable with Steve, and it felt nice to know he was there to listen, not to judge. A moment passed as you kept looking up at him, Steve finally realising he was still holding on to you. Letting go, he stepped away awkwardly, gesturing for you to continue walking. He mentally berated himself, he had gotten too comfortable holding on to you and looking into your captivating eyes. 

Following you at a safe distance, he watched the sunlight filter through the leaves, you reaching out your hands in attempts to touch it. While you had never told him about your home, he could tell by the way you behaved outside that you had grown up in the heart of nature. It was not that difficult to spot the longing in your eyes as you would stare at the horizon. Sometimes Steve felt you would drop everything and break out into a run, trying to catch the sun. 

Deep in his thoughts, he did not realise you had stopped and he bumped into you. Not expecting it, you lost your balance, falling forward. Steve attempted to lean forward and grab you, not anticipating that you would make yourself float. Realising too late what Steve was doing, you watched him face plant straight onto the ground. It took you a second to get back on the ground as Steve shot up, huffing and dusting off his shirt. 

One look at his haughty expression was enough, you burst into a fit of giggles. He watched you, small smile on his face as you held onto your sides, doubling over and laughing hard. Once you looked up, he changed his expression, sending you an exasperated eye roll, only making you laugh harder. “I wish everyone was here to see this.” You wheezed out. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” He said pointedly, turning away with a huff and daintily stepping over the print of his face on the ground, walking ahead. 

Composing yourself and catching up to him, you took the lead again, trying to get your bearings. Realising you were close, you turned to Steve and said, “Catch me.” 

His eyes widened, you breaking out into a sprint and rushing ahead. Running after you, he extended a hand out to reach you, missing by just a few centimetres. He noticed the trees get scarcer as you slowed down a bit. Increasing his speed, he was sure he was going to catch up to you. All of a sudden, you jumped to the side, Steve turning to see you send him a wave as he felt the ground disappear beneath his feet. 

Making contact with the ice cold water, he went under, taking a moment to realise you had pranked him. Resurfacing, he saw you smiling at him. Wiping away the water from his face, he swam up to the edge of the lake, getting out and shaking himself off. 

You had been giggling away, but seeing Steve’s dead serious expression made you stop. Getting sombre, you saw him walk up to you, readying yourself for a lecture. It took a lot of self control to not ogle at him, the shirt was even tighter now that it was wet, revealing every single dip and bump in his torso. His wet hair had been brushed out of his face, eyes stern and jaw set, it was doing things to you. Once he was right in front of you, you made eye contact, about to apologise. 

Seeing the mischievous twinkle in his eye, you realised his intention, attempting to turn and sprint off, but you were too late. Wrapping his arms around your waist, he picked you up like you weighed nothing, striding purposefully to the water. You shrieked and protested, trying to wriggle free from his iron grip as he neared the edge of the water. You looked up at him for a second, not believing he would actually do it. Sending you a wink, he threw you into the water. Closing your eyes, you took a deep breath as you hit the cold water. Going under, you waited for a minute before resurfacing, pushing your hair out of the way. 

Steve smiled to himself, self satisfied that he had taken his revenge when he watched you resurface. Dripping wet, you rose from the water, your hair flipping back perfectly, reminding him of the birth of Venus. He felt all blood rush south as your gaze turned to him. One flick of your wrist and he felt himself fly, landing back into the water beside you. 

Looking up at him now, you saw him smile at you, reaching forward and tucking a stray strand of hair behind your ear. His hand was warm, a stark contrast against the cold water. Your cheek was cold, making his hand tingle. Pulling it away, he felt his heartbeat increase, the goddamn palpitations were back to ruin his life. Not knowing what to do, he splashed water at your face. 

You froze for a moment, looking up at him incredulously as he mentally screamed at himself, ‘Way to ruin a moment’. You smirked, snapping your finger and making a small wave splash at him, sending him a few metres back. Wheezing, he coughed the water out his lungs before raising his hands in surrender. “Don’t cheat!” He yelled and you nodded, swimming up to him and sending a splash at him again. 

You realised it was highly childish, hell more than childish since you never had a splash competition before in your life, but seeing him smile and occasionally let out a laugh was worth it. He was thinking the same thing, seeing you concentrate and then smirk when the water hit his face was worth the palpitations and heart failure as well as the potential pneumonia. 

You both played around in the water, as the sun started to set. Turning to watch it paint the sky, you felt happy. Spending time with Steve was never boring and today had seemed like a new step in your relationship with him. You felt him come closer to you, watching the sun along with you till it got dark. The water was cold and the air started to get colder, seeing Steve get slightly rigid. 

Swimming back to the edge, you got out the water, waving a hand to make a wave carry Steve up to the ground. Walking up to him, you snapped your fingers, making both of you dry immediately. He smiled down at you, feeling something different between the two of you. He felt himself lean closer to you at a snail’s pace, almost imperceptible. He had no idea what he was planning on doing, or why. 

Unknowingly putting him out of his misery, you turned and started to walk towards the compound. Waiting for him to catch up, you heard him speak, “That was the most fun I’ve had in a while.” 

“That’s the most fun I’ve ever had with someone else.” You replied, mentally slapping yourself when you realised how the words sounded, hoping Steve did not notice their hidden innuendo. 

“You are such a fiend, pushing me into the water like that.” He said, sending a playful punch to your arm. 

“Twas but a jest.” You replied in a singsong voice, a slight spring in your step. 

Once you both were on the lawn of the compound again, he spoke, “There’s a while till dinner. Want to sit in the living room? I had an idea on how to help your magic training.”

Truth be told, he did not have the foggiest idea on how to help with your training, but he wanted to spend time with you. He watched you hopefully, sighing in relief when you nodded. Heading inside, he led you to the living room, sitting down on the armchair as you nestled up on the couch. He was watching you, seeing your expectant expression and realising he had to come up with training advice. 

Coughing awkwardly, he wracked his brain before starting to speak, “You need to improve your aiming skills when it comes to magic. You’re good now, but just aiming at still targets isn’t helpful. In a real fight, your opponent will be constantly on the move, you need to be able to anticipate their movements and hit them.” 

You nodded at his words, sitting up straight and asking, “What do you suggest?” 

Trying to calm his heartbeat and look casual, he continued, “You need a moving target. Someone running in all directions as you try to hit them.” 

“Where do I find a target like that. Nobody wants to die just so I can aim better.” You spoke, clearly confused at where Steve was going with this advice. 

“I have been wanting to make my jogs more fun. This could be the perfect opportunity.” He spoke, trying to sound musing and light. 

Immediately, your face was harsh as you snapped, “No. An energy blast would kill you, and there is no way in hell I’m using you as a target.” 

“Woah, not an energy blast. How about a fireball?” He suggested. 

“You aren’t exactly fireproof Steve. We are not having this conversation anymore.” Your tone was strict, Steve was being an idiot. 

“I can have Tony make me a fireproof bodysuit. It’s not an issue. I would not suggest it if I thought it would be dangerous. We’ll try it out, and if you think it’s risky, we’ll stop. Okay?” 

You saw his imploring expression, nodding begrudgingly. Making a mental note to bully Tony into refusing to make a suit, you sent Steve a smile. 

“Besides, I am faster than you so it shouldn’t be a problem.” He teased, eyes twinkling. 

You rolled your eyes, retorting, “Incase you forgot, I’ve beat you every single time we’ve raced.” 

“I was going easy on you.”

“Sure you were Captain. Leap a mountain and we’ll talk.” You muttered, not knowing Steve heard the last part. 

Sitting up with a start, he turned to you with wide eyes and gushed, “You’ve jumped down a mountain?” 

“Well yes that too, but I said leap, as in leap across from one to another.” You replied, not knowing your words would release Steve’s inner child. 

“That sounds amazing. When’d you do that?” He asked, his Brooklyn accent coming out which you found absolutely endearing. 

“My home was in the middle of a mountain range, away from most civilisation. I had a lot of free time and no self preservation, much like you back when you were the size of a gerbil.” 

Your words made him chuckle as he leaned closer to hear you better as you continued, “I started leaping down waterfalls, then the lower peaks. One day, I just broke out into a sprint and leaped as far as I could, landing on the other side. That’s when I really started to catch other people’s attention. The rest is history.” 

You had a wry smile on your face, remembering your absolute freedom, your innocence and the lack of responsibility. Steve was about to speak when you saw the time, realising you both would be late for dinner. 

Getting off the sofa, you rushed to the dining table, only to see everyone turn to you both. “Where were you both?” Natasha asked, a smirk plastered on her face. 

“We went for a walk.” Steve spoke, tone dignified as he sat down across you. 

Tony was about to make a quip when his phone went off. You watched Tony check the screen, his expression turning grave. 

“What’s wrong?” You asked, worried Fury had decided to disband the Avengers. 

“It’s Fury, he says we need to do some damage control.” 

“Haven’t we already by staying here?” Asked Wanda, unnerved at Tony’s now horrified expression. 

“He wants us to do a press conference.” Tony choked out, having bad memories from the times he had to have them after leaks of his sex tapes. 

You blinked. What the actual fuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope y’all liked the chapter, do let me know what you thought in the comments, I lovee reading and replying to you guys!  
See you next update lovelies ❤️💙💜💛💕💖💝💘 (I feel excessive because you all are angels and deserve all the love)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my babies I am back with a long chapter for you all! I planned on doing this as a Valentines Day gift but when I started writing I got carried away heh. So here is your delayed gift! Hope you all enjoy!  
I also love you all for the lovely comments and kudos, like I said they water my crops, clear my skin and bless my soul.

Tony’s revelation at dinner had been less than accepted by the team. Natasha had immediately wanted to flip a table, Wanda rolling her eyes at the futility of it all, Vision visibly uncomfortable. Steve’s jaw had clenched as soon as he had heard, and now as the team sat in the living room figuring out strategies, he still looked on edge. 

“Sharon will be here in a bit to present us with a game plan and script. We need to come off as likeable, people who would not deliberately set off bombs into the ocean.” Tony explained, equally annoyed at the whole ordeal. 

“Her presence was the only thing missing in this shitshow.” You muttered to Natasha, wanting to slam your head against a wall. 

The whole idea of a press conference went against everything you had been taught. Assassins were supposed to stay hidden, not be on television announcing their plans and trying to get people to like them. How in hell were you supposed to put a positive spin on your past? Even your initial reasons for joining the Avengers were selfish- how would you paint yourself as the bleeding heart hero ready to put down her life for the average citizen? 

Tony noticed your turmoil, walking towards you and ushering you away to a corner. “You don’t have to do this kid. I can pull some shit with Fury.” 

You shook your head, sending him a wry smile, wringing your hands before speaking, “I’ll handle it. I actually had something to ask you.” 

He noticed the worry in your tone, brows furrowing as he took your hand comfortingly, “What is it kid?” 

“I don’t want my real surname out in the world and you’re more than a mentor to me, like a brother now and I was wondering whether I could introduce myself as (Y/N) Stark.”

Tony stood frozen and you immediately jumped to the worst conclusion, he hated the idea. “Actually never mind. I’m sorry I brought it up I-“

Your apology was cut short when Tony pulled you into his chest for a hug. It took you a second to reciprocate and you smiled into his shoulder. Kissing the top of your head, he pulled away, pride evident in his tone as he spoke, “You are a Stark now. I’m not hearing any debates on this.”

You smiled up at him, not believing he agreed. The rest of the team watched you both with confusion and you shrugged at them, going to perch yourself on the arm of the couch where Natasha sat. The door slammed open, in walking Sharon, in one of her usual blazer combinations. Did she not own any other clothes? 

Dropping papers onto the table unceremoniously, she stood in the middle of the room, catching Steve’s eye and going towards him. You watched as she hugged him tightly, whispering how she had missed him while you controlled the impulse to throw up your guts. Turning back to the team after removing herself from Steve she started to speak, “Obviously the scandal is larger than we thought it would be. Staying out of sight has made you all seem guiltier. Some radical parties are calling for the Avengers Initiative to be called off. To make sure that does not happen, you all need to nail tomorrow’s conference.” 

She paused dramatically, eyes sweeping over everyone in the room to make sure they were paying attention before continuing, “We have decided a diplomatic approach is the best way to go about it. Accept that a mistake was made, while reminding the world of how important the Avengers actually are. Above all, you must be charming. Make the audience like you, look up to you. They need to see the world's saviours in you all.” 

Sharon’s words made you shudder, you had to be everything you felt you were not. This situation was not going to help your never ending internal conflict on whether you deserved redemption, deserved to call yourself a good person. She started to hand everyone scripts, sending you a curt nod which you returned. Scanning over the paper, you took deep breaths. All you had to do was recite whatever was written, you would be fine. Everything would be fine. You could tell Natasha was annoyed at being given a script, bristling when the paper was handed to her. 

A second of silence passed before Tony remembered his manners, turning to Sharon and offering, “Would you like something to eat? We’ve had dinner already but I’m sure something’s left.” 

Shaking her head she turned to Steve and spoke, “I was actually going to ask Steve to join me for dinner. It’s been a while since I’ve seen him and I wanted to catch up. We’ll stay out of sight so Fury won’t be against it.” 

Natasha’s vice grip on your arm was the only thing stopping you from leaping off the couch and choke slamming Sharon onto the floor. Taking a deep breath, you attempted to calm yourself. Why were you getting worked up? Steve was not your boyfriend, you did not like him. You turned your gaze to the super solider, wanting to see his response. 

Steve scratched the back of his head awkwardly, Sharon’s intense gaze on him. She tilted her head in confusion at his hesitation and he nodded, saying he needed to freshen up. If he had looked to the left, he would have seen you glaring daggers at him, Natasha holding onto you tightly. 

Steve and Sharon left the room, everyone’s eyes turning to you. “You okay?” Wanda asked.

“I’m fine. Why would anything be wrong? I just remembered I need to train, so excuse me.” You snapped, walking out the room before anyone could stop you. 

Wanda turned to Tony and suggested, “Maybe we should tell them they like each other.”

“I want to see this play out, you know I’ve put a lot of money on them figuring it out themselves. Sam can’t win this bet.” Tony responded.

“You’re being a moron. They are so deep in denial, it could never happen.” Natasha spoke. 

“Listen, we’ll intervene if needed. They need to do this themselves when they are ready.”

Tony’s words had a tone of finality in them, the team nodding in agreement. 

You reached the training room, vision clouded with anger as you typed in the simulation. Grabbing a large sword that almost reached your waist, you stretched slowly, waiting for the figures to appear. They started coming at you from all directions and you smiled slowly, you had upped the intensity on purpose, needing an outlet. 

Letting out a yell, you started to swing. Two figures fell to the ground beheaded and you twirled, stabbing through another one. Enjoying your little killing spree, you started to get creative. Instead of immediately killing the figures, you hacked off their limbs so they lay on the ground twitching. As the simulation started to end, you walked around, stabbing the figures in the face, imagining it was Sharon. 

Having worked up a sweat, you pushed away stray strands of your hair, still feeling annoyed, the pit of your stomach churning uncomfortably. Letting out a frustrated yell, you snapped your finger, making a few targets appear in front of you. Channeling your frustration, you started to throw energy blasts at them, decimating the targets completely. When you were finished, you stalked out of the training room, making a beeline towards your own room. 

Stripping, you rushed into the shower and let the cool streams hit your body, closing your eyes and attempting to relax. Washing away all the sweat, your mind started to form images of Steve and Sharon laughing over their dinner, him holding her hand, kissing her. Snapping yourself out of such thoughts, you leaned against the tile wall, rage taking over again. You did not know what you were angrier about, Sharon asking Steve out, or Steve actually agreeing. The time after dinner had been reserved for you, talking and playing the piano together. 

You had probably been kidding yourself. He was not obligated to spend time with you, maybe he did not even like spending time with you. He had made it pretty clear by choosing dinner with Sharon. Even if he did, you had no right to get jealous over him liking or interacting with another female, especially since you had never made a move on him. Composing yourself with this sobering line of thought, you concentrated on your shower. Stepping out, you dried yourself with a towel, slipping into a pair of cotton pyjama shorts and a t-shirt. 

Back in your room, you saw Natasha and Wanda perched on your bed, waiting for you. Raising an eyebrow at them, you ran a towel through your wet hair, waiting for them to explain their presence. “It’s been a while since we had a proper chat. We brought sustenance.” Wanda spoke, making a tub of ice cream float around you. Rolling your eyes, you plucked it out of the air, plopping onto the bed with them. 

“Be honest. Why are you here?” You asked, taking a spoonful of the tart raspberry into your mouth and smiling. 

“We wanted to check if you were okay sestra. The training room log showed you went a bit ballistic.” Natasha spoke gently, her hand covering yours comfortingly. 

“I am fine. Being cooped up in here is a bit annoying if I’m being honest, which is why I went a bit trigger happy while training.” You responded, avoiding eye contact and choosing to stare into the tub of ice cream. 

“It’s okay to feel something for someone sestra. It does not make you weak or vulnerable.” 

Her words felt like sharp slaps, even though her intention was to help you see reason. Stubborn to the core, you were not going to admit to anything, assuming there even was something to admit. Looking up at Natasha, making sure your tone stayed even, you spoke, “If you are suggesting I like Steve, then it could not be further from the truth. Yes, he is attractive but we are poles apart. When has the hero ever fallen for the assassin? He’s good to his core, everything about him screams justice and truth. We all know I am not like that, my motives are neutral at most. I don’t want to be the one to corrupt him.”

You had not expected to unload so many of your pent up fears, but it truly had been a while since you spoke to Wanda and Natasha and it felt good to be honest. You took in a shaky breath, sending the two a weak smile as they took in your words and what you were implying. 

“(Y/N), even if you did like him, it would not be a big deal. When you love someone, you look past their apparent shortcomings, you accept the good and the bad. Vis knew about my past, knew how much hate I held and still chose to love me. He saw the good and he saw the bad, and he cherished it equally. Give Steve the benefit of the doubt, he should be able to choose what he wants.” 

After finishing, Wanda leaned over and hugged you tightly. You relished the comfort, hugging her back and feeling Natasha encapsulate you both. Pulling away, you placed the carton of ice cream in between the three of you, Natasha and Wanda digging in. 

“As soon as we are allowed to take up missions again, I am taking the first one that takes me out of the country. I need a vacation.” Natasha groaned. 

“Are we allowed vacations technically? Tony’s private island offer sounds pretty tempting right about now.” You asked, agreeing with Natasha’s need for a holiday. 

“God I hope so, it’d be so romantic.” Wanda spoke, stars in her eyes. 

“Unless Vision short circuits in the water.” You snickered, Natasha giggling along with you, causing Wanda to attack you both with pillows. 

~

Steve was bored out of his mind, Sharon had insisted they take one of the company cars and drive to the edge of the city. Now in a small corner booth in an empty diner, he sat uncomfortably. It was late, thus the diner was practically empty, one old waitress cleaning a spotless counter. Sharon sat across him scanning the menu as if it were some assignment. It baffled him, the diner had a total of fifteen options, how was it taking her so long to choose. 

He had decided on chicken and waffles, repeating his order mentally for when the waitress came by. Sharon was barely speaking, glancing up at him from the menu occasionally and sending him a smile which he would return. Finally the waitress came by, smiling kindly at the two. Sharon told her what she wanted, a cup of tea and a sandwich, Steve muttering his order. 

When the waitress walked off, Sharon leaned towards him, crossing her arms and asking, “How have you been? I know how terrible it must have been staying cooped up inside the compound.” 

Straightening up, he replied evenly, “It wasn’t that bad. The team’s like family so time passed well enough.”

“Did you find what you were looking for in the files I sent you?” 

It took Steve a moment to realise Sharon was talking about the research she did on you. “Um, yes I did. Thank you.”

“It’s no problem. God knows you have to be careful around people like her.” She stated, sending him a smile.

Her words struck a nerve with Steve and he stiffened up. Part of him wanted to yell at her for being so wrong about you, but he stayed quiet, not wanting to antagonise Sharon. She did not know any better, did not know you like Steve had come to these past few weeks. 

Sharon started to talk about work and the missions she went on, about how her work was going to shift from field based to more directorial. Steve only paid half attention, picking at his food and wanting to be back at the compound. Usually he enjoyed talking to Sharon about work but today he was restless. Waiting patiently for her to finish, he paid for the food and got up, helping Sharon out of her chair. Ever the gentleman, he held the door open for her as they left and helped her into the car, leaning back against the leather seat and letting Sharon drive him back.

She spoke on about how she hoped the press conference would go well so that they could meet more often and so he would be near her in the city. He nodded at opportune moments, preferring to stare out the window at the barely visible horizon. It suddenly struck him that he had piano lessons with you, and by choosing dinner with Sharon he had essentially ditched you. 

Sitting up straight when he saw the compound pull up, he waited for the car to stop. Turning to Sharon, he thanked her for the enjoyable evening. She leaned closer, about to kiss him when he moved his head last minute, her lips finding their way onto his cheek instead. Rushing out the car, he did not wait to hear what Sharon had to say, practically running inside. 

Even though it was very late, he still made his way to the library, a part of him hoping that you had waited for him. When he saw the room was empty, lights off, his heart sank a bit. He did not understand this feeling of dejection, he had been the one to choose dinner with Sharon, he could not expect you to wait up for him. Still, it hurt. Deciding he was going to check up on you before sleeping, he headed up the stairs with reignited enthusiasm. 

Pausing outside your door, he heard loud laughs and indistinct voices. Not wanting to snoop on your conversation and invade your privacy, he sighed deeply and trudged to his own room. He would try and talk to you in the morning before the press conference. 

~

Your eyes snapped open and you sat up harshly. You had barely slept, Natasha and Wanda leaving your room in the wee hours, and now it was almost 6 a.m. Craning your neck to release the stiffness, you stepped out of bed. Rubbing away the tiredness from your eyes, you headed to Natasha’s room. Giving it two sharp knocks, you walked in when she did not respond. Seeing her bed empty, you knew she was taking a shower. Leaning against the wall you yelled, “What exactly do I wear to a press conference?”

“Not one of your leather numbers that’s for sure! I’m probably wearing a pantsuit.” You heard the redhead shout back, voice slightly disrupted by the running water. 

Yelling your thanks, you headed back to your room and started to rummage through your closet for an appropriate outfit. In the depths you pulled out a white office shirt. Putting it on, you slipped on your suspender stockings, searching for a bottom half. You heard a knock on your door and assuming it to be either Wanda or Natasha you called out, “Come in.”

Steve had been up earlier than usual, jogging around the compound to calm his nerves for today. Showering and changing into his flashier Captain America suit sans helmet, he decided now would be a good time to check up on you. Fixing his hair he strode confidently to your room, knocking on the door. When he heard you call out, he opened the door and froze. There you stood in a fitted button down with majority of the buttons open, exposing your taut belly. The only thing covering your bottom half was those damned stockings and lacy black underwear. 

Turning, you saw Steve standing in the doorway looking like a tween who had just discovered porn. Raising an eyebrow at him, you did not bother to fix any aspect of your appearance. Seeing as he did not react, eyes still glued to your figure, you snapped, “What do you want?”

Finally coming to his senses, Steve coughed, looking at the wall as he replied, “I just wanted to check up on you, see if you were ready. And if you were okay.” 

“Well I’m clearly not ready.” You said, gesturing to yourself, tone harsher than you intended.

“And are you okay?” He asked, hesitating slightly, feet still glued in the doorway. 

“Why wouldn’t I be?” You asked, turning your back to him and continuing to rummage through your closet. 

Leaning over, you heard Steve’s breathing hitch. He got a glimpse of your derriere barely covered in black lace, forgetting to breathe. His mind was screaming one thing at him, all blood rushing south and causing his pants to be uncomfortably tight. Realising that spending one more minute in your room may lead to his raging boner being discovered, he rushed back to his room, slamming the door behind him. 

Not paying heed to Steve, you rolled your eyes at his behaviour- the man behaved like he had never seen a woman naked before. Slipping on a tight black pencil skirt that reached your knees, you zipped up the side. Pinning away your hair into a bun, you pulled out a few strands to frame your face. Wearing bright red lipstick and your favourite pair of black heels, you admired yourself in the mirror. The skirt made your hips look wider, accentuating your hourglass figure and the lipstick stood out well. 

Walking outside, you ran into Wanda, who was in a similar outfit, except she wore a small blazer as well, her hair open. Natasha joined you both, in a fitted black pantsuit like she had promised, script in hand. Heading downstairs, you relayed to them what had just happened with Steve. Wanda barely contained her giggles as you imitated Steve’s horrified expression, Natasha just smiling knowingly. 

Vision, Tony and Steve already sat at the breakfast table. Vision was back to looking like a red robot, Tony in one of his suits, helmet missing. Eating lightly, the table was silent. Once finished with your food, you all made your way to the hangar where a helicopter awaited to take you all to the decided location. Taking a seat next to Tony you whispered, “You don’t think they’d ask for us to be disbanded, do you?”

“Nah kid, they love us. Don’t worry about it.” He comforted, trying to disguise the slighter waver in his tone. 

Nodding, you chose to believe his words, resting your head against his shoulder and screwing your eyes shut. Everything depended on this press conference. You did not know what you would do if the Avengers were disbanded, going back to the Room was not an option, but living a normal life seemed daunting too. 

Steve observed you from afar, sitting next to Natasha. After the encounter in your room, he had rushed back to his, tucking away his unfortunate erection and thinking about files and staplers- heck anything that would get the image of you in that shirt and stockings out of his mind. Now he could see you were on edge, leaning to Tony for comfort. An irrational part of him wished that you would turn to him for comfort instead, he had assumed you both were close enough now. Yet, after last night you seemed reserved. 

Did his going out with Sharon affect you? Why would it though? You had never hinted anything other than friendship. That too seemed tenuous at times, you would pull away as soon as you felt you were getting too vulnerable. Besides, Steve did not know whether he wanted anything more with you. He knew you were the most ethereal woman he had seen, no doubt, but did he have feelings for you? When you smiled it warmed his heart, your sparkling eyes meeting his. He enjoyed spending time with you, whether it was playing the piano or just sitting in the lawn and looking at the sunset. He knew he could count on you in a mission, so what was the problem? 

Natasha noticed Steve deep in thought, elbowing him slightly to get his attention and raising an eyebrow, “Is everything okay? You look worried.” 

“I’m fine, thanks Nat.” He replied immediately, eyes glancing over to you, a move Natasha did not miss. 

Sending Steve a knowing smile, she turned away, tapping away at her datapad. God he hated it when the team acted like they knew something he did not. Deciding he would apologise for ditching you last night, Steve pushed away his previous thoughts, focusing on what he was going to say in the upcoming conference. 

When the helicopter landed your eyes snapped open and you sat up, smoothening your outfit of any creases. Getting off, you took in your surroundings. There was one warehouse in front of you, news vans littered everywhere. Crinkling your nose in disgust, you started to walk towards the building when Steve caught your arm. Turning to him, you raised an eyebrow and he remembered your age old threat of snapping his shield if he ever grabbed your arm so he let go immediately. “I just wanted to apologise for leaving you last night, I should have made sure you were okay with it before agreeing with Sharon.” Steve blurted out, his expression sincere. 

Your resolve crumbled slightly seeing his earnest expression and you smiled, ignoring how much it had hurt you to see him choose her and replied, “It’s okay. You should be able to spend time with who you want to without running it by me. It’s not like I’m your girlfriend.” 

The last part felt forced and you sounded bitter so you started to laugh, hoping Steve would think of it as a light joke and not a cry for help. Your words stung him but he laughed along with you, exaggerating it so you would think he did not care. “So are we good?” He asked, starting to follow the team towards the warehouse. 

“We are good Captain. Don’t worry about it.” You replied, sending him a smile and matching pace. 

What you did not notice was that every single journalist and reporter had seen Steve grab your arm and then laugh with you. Pictures were taken, assumptions already made as they followed you all inside. 

~

Camera flashes blinded you, reporters shouting from all corners as you stood with the team. “Look here sweetheart! Who is that?” You heard one yell and you tried not to scowl, sending what you hoped would be a benign smile to all the cameras. 

Security finally pulled you all away from the horde of reporters, assisting you up to the stage where an empty panel awaited for you all. Waiting for Tony and Steve to sit down, you took a seat between them, Natasha on Steve’s other side, followed by Wanda and then Vision. Once everyone was seated, Tony started, “The purpose of this conference is to show you all that we have everyone’s best interests at heart and every decision we make is for the greater good.” 

Steve picked up where Tony left off, continuing, “The circumstances of our previous mission were dire, bombs were headed towards New York, set to destroy everything. All of this was orchestrated by Brock Rumlow, or as you all know him, Crossbones. We intercepted his attack and saved countless lives. We as a team accept our mistake of causing one of the bombs to detonate in the Pacific ocean and are apologetic for the damage caused, yet our motives to do good must not be overlooked.”

He waited for a moment, making sure all the journalists took in his words before saying, “We are open to questions now.”

All the reporters started speaking at once, all unintelligible until Tony raised his hands, asking for silence, “One at a time please. We will answer every question but please cooperate. You first.”

The reporter he pointed at stood up, fixing his microphone before asking, “Do you feel like a threat to society? I mean you all are certainly more powerful than the average citizen, and capable of causing irreparable damage, as seen in your previous mission. How do we feel at ease amongst practical titans?”

Tony leaned back in his chair, looking visibly annoyed when Steve spoke up, “While we accept we are powerful, we choose to use our power to help society and help people. I’ve always believed in the strong standing up for the weak and that is what we aim to do. As for you all feeling at ease with us, do not forget we are still human. We want what is best for the world and its inhabitants, we want to help where we can. Hopefully that is enough comfort.” 

The reporter nodded and thanked Steve, sitting down only for everyone else’s hands to rise up. Steve pointed at a young woman with large glasses and she stood up, dusting herself off and asking, “Who is the lady between you and Ironman?”

You sat up straighter, feeling everyone in the room dissecting you with their gaze. “This is our newest member, (Y/N) Stark, otherwise known as the Enchantress.” Tony spoke up, the room going aflutter when they heard you were a Stark.

“Please everyone, lets give (Y/N) a chance to introduce herself.” Tony spoke, turning to you. 

You froze, everyone waiting for you to speak when you felt a warm hand enclosing yours. Looking down, you saw Steve holding onto your hand, his thumb rubbing comforting circles over your skin. Looking up at him and smiling, you took a deep breath and turned to the crowd and spoke, “Like Tony said, I am (Y/N) Stark, aka the Enchantress. I’m a distant cousin of Tony’s and I joined the Avengers because I wanted to join an institution dedicated towards the betterment of humanity.”

You wanted to slap yourself for all the hunky-dory bullshit you were spewing, your nails digging into Steve’s palm in frustration at your own words. So many reporters raised their hands and you picked one at random, not focusing on their face and instead looking straight ahead. “What are your powers?” 

“I can somewhat do magic, so I can manipulate elements and energy.” You spoke, leaving out the rest of your powers, the last thing you needed was this gaggle of impressionable humans thinking you were some all powerful demon. 

“How do you do it? What are you?” Another asked.

“I don’t know, I was born with it I suppose. As for what I am, I’m just as human as you all are.”You tried to keep your tone light, your voice strong and your words gentle, Steve’s touch the only thing anchoring you. 

Partially satisfied with whatever answers you had provided, they turned their attention towards Wanda, “What is your opinion on the failures of the team? Does it hurt to know your brother died being part of such a corrupt institution?”

Your jaw clenched, seeing Wanda freeze out of the corner of your eye before starting to speak in an even tone, “If you all would not mind, I’ll answer this question. I agree that the last mission was a mishap, but a failure would mean New York and areas surrounding it would cease to exist today, including millions of innocent people. Speaking of corrupt institutions, I am rather perturbed that you all were not so harsh grilling Sabist and certain factions of the army and government involved with the kidnapping and genetic testing of children in third world countries. Tragic wasn’t it? I am not saying we are perfect, but I am humbly requesting you remember the Avengers for all the good they have done. Must I remind you all of the battle of New York? Of Sokovia? Even the Sabist mission, we were the ones who kept the interests of the children at heart and ensured the government followed through on their promise to return them to their homes.”

You felt Steve tense up as you had started to speak and then relax as you continued, beaming at you by the time you stopped speaking. You turned to meet his gaze, sending him a smile and he returned it. 

The rest of the press conference you tuned out, questions aimed at Tony about what he planned on doing next, at Vision about his humanity or lack thereof and at Natasha and Wanda what it felt like to be a female hero in a male dominated field. Despite you being out of the firing range, Steve still held onto your hand and you were glad for the contact. 

At the end of the conference, all the journalists clapped as everyone left the stage which you took as a positive sign. Hopefully you all had done enough to keep the Avengers together. 

~

Back at the compound, you all decided to change into more comfortable clothes and meet in the living room. Now dressed in your pyjamas, you relaxed on the couch with Natasha. Wanda walked in with Vision, walking towards you and hugging you tightly, whispering, “Thank you for today.” 

“Of course my darling, I will protect you always.” You replied, kissing her head and smiling at her. 

She sat down with Vision on the love seat, and he sent you a grateful nod. In sauntered Tony with Steve following, both getting comfortable before Tony spoke, “To avoid any stress, we’ve decided to turn off communication for now, we’ll know how the conference went in the morning. Right now, I want us to have fun.” 

“Like what? Another forced movie?” You asked, distaste evident in  
your tone.

“No. We are going to play never have I ever.” Tony said, pleased with himself.

“We aren’t three.” You responded, rolling your eyes.

“I think it’ll be fun.” Natasha said and you whipped your head around to look at her incredulously, causing her to shrug.

“I want to play too!” Wanda called out, Vision nodding his agreement. 

“I’ll play if (Y/N) is.” Steve said, sending you a wink.

Everyone turned to look at you expectantly and you let out a dramatic, long suffering sigh before saying, “Ugh fine. The things I do for you all.” 

“Whoever has done something needs to take a drink.” Tony called out, placing a huge bottle of vodka in between everyone and you snapped your fingers, causing small shot glasses to appear in everyone’s hand. 

“I’ll go first. Never have I ever done drugs.” Spoke Vision and you rolled your eyes.

“Vision of course you haven’t.” Natasha said but he huffed stubbornly. 

“Everyone who has, drink up!” Called out Wanda clearly taking her lovers side.

Tony immediately poured himself a shot and backed it. You turned to Natasha, sending her a smirk before making the bottle float to you, filling your glass and Natasha’s and taking a drink. Steve’s eyes widened and Tony let out a laugh and barking out, “Explain yourselves!” 

“Well, there was this one time Natasha and I got well acquainted with a mountain of cocaine. Fun times.” You spoke, smirk never leaving your face.

Steve’s heart beat out his chest as he heard you speak confidently, feeling much like his scrawny previous self. You were a beautiful rebel and he felt like a boys scout. Your gaze turned to him and you suddenly realised something, yelling out, “Steve the serum was a drug. Take that shot!”

He rolled his eyes, about to disagree when Tony started sining, “Shot! Shot! Shot!” 

Complying, he took the drink, Natasha whooping loudly. “I’m next. Never have I ever been tied up during intercourse.” Wanda said mischievously.

“Not yet.” Vision said, causing her to giggle and you wanted to bury your head in a pillow. 

Tony took a drink, so did Natasha. Steve watched you expectantly, but you did not make any attempts to fill your glass. Next was Steve and he sat up straighter, thinking for a second and then saying, “Never have I ever cheated on someone.” 

Tony took another shot, you turning to look at him with raised eyebrows. He shrugged, sending you an angelic grin and then yelling, “Okay it’s my turn. Never have I ever refused a kiss.” 

This time, everyone except Vision took a drink, Steve and you looking at each other surprised. Natasha cleared her throat, smirking at you and saying, “Never have I ever been a virgin past the age of 17.” 

That was a low blow, Natasha jabbing at your non existent sex life. You glared at her, pouring yourself a drink, freezing when you saw Steve grab it next. “I don’t have an age so I will sit this one out.” Stated Vision as you and Steve drank.

Realising it was your turn, you decided to make sure everyone would have to drink, “Never have I ever been to Sokovia.” 

Collective groans were heard throughout the room, Vision finally taking a shot to his utter remorse. Once everyone else had finished taking a drink you giggled triumphantly.

“One more round!” Tony called out, his voice shaking slightly and you shook your head no. 

Making him float vertically, you turned to everyone and said, “I’ll take him up to his room. He needs sleep.” 

Everyone nodded, getting up to go to their respective rooms when you called out to Steve, “Walk with me?”

He nodded, following you and a floating Tony out the living room. Turning to Steve you took a deep breath before saying, “Thank you for holding my hand today, it calmed me down immensely.”

He upturned half his mouth in a boyish grin, making butterflies do somersaults around your stomach before replying, “Don’t mention it. I’m here for you.” 

You smiled up at him, god he was so perfect. Such a gentleman through and through, you wanted to shoot all reservations in the face and just kiss him, when you heard Tony giggle, “Damn, you guys are such a cute couple.” 

Immediately both you and Steve went rigid, straightening up and stepping away from each other. You glared at Tony, Steve looking anywhere but you. Now walking in silence, you made your way to Tony’s room, opening the door and gently placing Tony on his bed. Removing his shoes, you sent him a wry smile before blowing on his face slightly so his eyes drifted shut with sleep. 

Walking back out with Steve, you reached your respective rooms, opening the door and about to go inside when you heard Steve whisper your name. Turning to face him, you eyed him questioningly. He just smiled at you, saying goodnight and walking into his own room. Smiling to yourself, you dropped onto your bed, slipping into a restful slumber. 

~

Tony cracked one eye open, the chirping birds like disaster sirens for his hungover brain. “What the fuck.” He murmured to himself, sitting up and rubbing his bleary eyes. 

Remembering that he had to turn on communication lines to find out how the press conference went down, he quickly grabbed his tablet, tapping in the command, only to be bombarded with messages. 

Clicking one, he realised it was a link to an article. Almost dreading it, he opened the article, letting out an audible groan when he saw the headline. “I am so fucked. We are so fucked.” He muttered, his eyes plastered on the offensive article. 

From down the hall, he heard your voice screaming, “What the hell.”

Great. You all knew now. Try as he might he could not tear his eyes away from the headline. ‘Enchantress and Captain America, the power couple of the year!’

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully you all liked the chapter, I have missed not updating more regularly so will work on that. Shoutout to Kleo for alwayss being there with a lovely comment, but actually shout out to everyone commenting, I cannot believe you all like my work it is so heartwarming. Anywaysss I will see you all next chapter my lovelies! Stay safe n happy!


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my babies! I'm back, hopefully soon enough with a new chapter!! I was going to divide this into two but I thought fuck it, lets treat you all. So a lot of drama in this chapter which I apologise for, it was imperative to make the plot move forward. Anyways I don't want to ramble on too much, BUT THANKYOU FOR THE COMMENTS AND KUDOS I LOVE YOU ALL I CANNOT BELIEVE WE'VE CROSSED 400 I AM SO GRATEFUL TO YOU ALL!!!!  
Anyways, presenting my longest chapter yet!! Hope y'all enjoy all 11484 words!  
Word translations will be posted in the end notes, if thats too much of a hassle scrolling down in the middle of reading, lemme know in the comments and ill just add the translations at the end of each dialogue in brackets!

Someone up there really hated you. It had to be the only explanation. Why else would every newspaper in the country be bearing a picture of Steve holding onto your arm, with headlines like ‘Pairing of the year’ and ‘Heroes in love’?

You had woken up to these headlines, your livid scream echoing throughout the compound. One magazine had even drawn little hearts around you both, making you want to bury yourself in bed and never come out. This was mortifying to say the least. Your emotions were a wreck and you did not need all the things you were in denial about to be printed onto the front pages. 

You could hear intense knocks at your door and try as you might, you could not ignore them for long. “Wait one fucking minute!” You screamed, getting out of bed and taking in your appearance. 

You looked harrowed and desperately needed to relax. What better way than to be an ostrich and bury your head in the sand? Decision made, you flicked your wrist, making your dresser shift to cover your door as a barricade. Stripping, you went into the bathroom, snapping your fingers so the tub was filled with scalding water. Stepping inside, you hissed slightly at the warm temperature, getting comfortable and leaning back. Pouring a rose scented essential oil into the water, you closed your eyes and started to take deep calming breaths. 

You could deal with this. You could definitely deal with half the world thinking you and Steve were an item. It was not like you wanted to be an item. Even if you did, this was hardly the way to go about it. Washing yourself, you got out the bath, draining away the water and waving a hand over your body to dry yourself. 

Walking back into your room, you heard someone thumping at the door, almost as if they were shoving against it. “(Y/N) are you there? Open the door?” You heard Tony say.

“Don’t be stubborn.” Steve’s voice followed, along with another thump. 

“I am naked. If you shove at this door one more time I will kill you both. I’ll be out in two minutes.” You shouted, tone full of venom. 

Immediately, you were met with silence and smiled to yourself despite the situation, picking out a white lace bralette top and a comfortable pair of trousers. Tying up your hair so it was away from your face, you took a deep breath and steeled your nerves. Shifting the dresser back to its original location, you tentatively opened your door to see Steve and Tony waiting for you. 

Choosing to avoid eye contact with the super soldier who was staring at your décolletage anyway, you stepped past the two, about to head downstairs for breakfast when Tony called out, “Meeting in the living room. Follow us.” 

Nodding, you started to walk towards the living room, not bothering to check if the two followed or not. Once inside, you saw Wanda, Natasha and Vision waiting for you all. Natasha’s expression was blank, Wanda barely concealing her giggles and you sent her one of your best withering bitch looks. 

Not even bothering to sit, you stood with your arms crossed, feeling a headache start to form. Tony cleared his throat, making you turn to face him and Steve. The latter looked worried, embarrassed to look at you and you wanted to snap at him that he would be so lucky to be dating you. But no, you had to maintain your composure. Raising an eyebrow at Tony, you cocked your head as if to say ‘Start speaking within this second or you will regret it.’

“So, there’s good news and bad news.” Tony started and you bit back a groan, starting to mutter in Romanian at how stupid you were to even join the team in the first place. 

“Bad news is that the whole country thinks Cap and (Y/N) here are an item, but thanks to this love story, and our amazing press conference, the team will not be disbanded. We can move back to Stark Tower and take up missions effective tomorrow.” 

You waited for him to continue, talk about how this was going to be handled but you were met with silence. “So am I missing something here or are we really going to let it slide that everyone thinks me and Steve are a couple?” 

“Well, for now it may be a good idea for us to ignore it, it’ll eventually get swept under the rug. It’s not like you guys are officially seeing anyone else and it’ll hurt their feelings.” Tony offered as an explanation and while it made perfect sense, you were running on anger and wanted to scream and be unreasonable. 

“I need air.” You told Natasha in Russian, walking out and ignoring the looks Steve sent you. 

The super soldier had panicked when he saw the headlines, what would Sharon think? They had been on a few dates, spent a few days and nights together and while they both were amiss to call it a relationship, everyone had expected them to get into one soon enough. Till you came along, confusing him to the core. He had looked at the pictures of you two now, you smiling up at him and it did not feel so wrong anymore. He certainly did not hate what the magazines were insinuating. 

Sharon’s face kept popping up in his thoughts alongside yours. You both were so different, both of you catering to different sides of Steve. Sharon was all he was supposed to want, the perfect agent, the perfect girlfriend and above all the perfect link to Peggy. You on the other hand were infuriating, stubborn, poles apart from him. He barely knew anything about you despite you opening up to him, and from the way you were reacting to the headlines, made it very clear that you were the least bit interested in being with him. In fact you seemed to loathe the idea entirely. 

Yet Steve still wanted to follow you out, clear things up and offer his support- he could not help it. He was about to head out the door when Natasha sprang up from the couch, stopping him, “I’ll handle her. After I’ve calmed her down do you want me to tell her you want to talk?”

“Tell her I’ll be waiting in the kitchen.” Steve said, thankful for Natasha’s help. 

Nodding, the redhead made her way to where she knew you would be. Once on the lawn, she saw you standing in the middle, hand up in flames. Rolling her eyes, she walked up to you. Barely acknowledging her, you started to curse in every language you knew, your voice rising higher and higher until you were screaming. 

Finally, extinguishing your flames you turned to Natasha. She hugged you wordlessly and you leaned in to her touch, finally letting your tears run freely. After convincing yourself everything was fine and you could handle it, it felt nice to cut the bullshit and just feel worried. Natasha stroked your hair, shushing you gently until you pulled away. Wiping your tears you said, “I really want to kill someone right now. Or torture even. I could use a pick me up.” 

“Calm down Hannibal. You’ll have to settle for telling me what’s going on in that head of yours.” 

Nodding, you sat down on the grass cross legged, Natasha following suit before you spoke, “Tasha. I hate the idea of me being reduced to one half of a ditzy romance thats supposed to cross time and fate. We both know Steve and I have just begun to be on good terms, he almost killed me in the start and I’m sure I would have killed him, given the chance. It is discerning that the world sees us as a couple, and it’s even more discerning that we can’t refute this. I wanted to explore whatever it was with him on my own terms, this is just too blatant.”

“I understand sestra, but these rumours are part and parcel of the hero life. They’ve paired me with Clint and Bruce more times than I can count. While I realise it is annoying to be set up with someone, you need to see the good coming out of it. It’s helped the team stick together for a while longer, people need something to believe in. Whether it’s heroes or a good love story. So let them believe.” 

Her words resonated with you and you nodded hesitantly. It must have been more painful for Natasha, especially since she had lost the one she loved. You covered her hand with yours comfortingly as she continued, “One more thing. Do not blame Steve for any of this. It is not his fault in any shape or form. Don’t ruin what you’ve managed to build with him over this. It’s not worth it.” 

You nodded, sending her a smile and sighing deeply, saying softly, “I want a vacation. Or a purpose. I cannot wait to take up missions again.” 

“Soon enough sestra. Soon enough.” 

You were about to lie down on the grass and relax when Natasha said, “Steve wanted to talk to you. He’s waiting in the kitchen.”

Springing up, you were about to head towards him when Natasha called out, “I know you’re confused. But don’t wait too long, you might lose what’s in front of you.” 

Your brows furrowed in confusion for a second, Natasha’s knowing smile making you realise what she meant. Nodding, you loosened your hair tie, making it fall down and shaking it for a bit of volume, you walked inside. 

You did not know what you were going to say to Steve exactly, all you knew was that you were going to clear the air. 

~

Steve had made his way to the kitchen as soon as Natasha had gone after you, trying to figure out what he was going to say to you. He wanted to know if you were fine after all the headlines, he knew you were a private person and being on display like this must be unnerving. 

He wanted things to be okay again, he wanted to go back to you both just spending time with each other without having to think of its implications, without having to worry about other people. Yet he knew he had somewhat sabotaged it by choosing dinner with Sharon. While you had assured him you were okay with it, he still felt guilty. This worried him the most, he would feel guilty when he would avoid Sharon for you, and he would feel terrible when he left you for Sharon. 

He was at war with himself, for the life of him he could not choose, or understand why he had to choose. What he felt for you was different from what he felt for Sharon, wasn’t it? He heard footsteps, turning with a smile, expecting to see you. Sharon marched to him, looking furious and he froze. 

“What is this?” She asked, opening up her phone and swiping through the multiple headlines of him and you. 

Steve sighed, hand going to massage his temple as he replied, “Listen, it’s not my fault. I didn’t know they were taking pictures.”

“It’s not the pictures I’m angry about. It’s what they imply Steve.” She snapped.

“I know. It’s not what you think it is. Me and (Y/N) are just friends, hell even less than that sometimes.” 

“I’m not one to get unreasonably angry or possessive Steve, but I thought we had something going on. I like you.”

“And I like you too Sharon, I’m not with (Y/N).” Steve said, trying to calm down Sharon because she sounded hurt, very hurt. 

Taking a deep breath, Sharon stepped closer to Steve, her hand on his cheek as she moved to kiss him. It was short and sweet, Sharon pulling away and sending him a smile. You flashed in Steve’s mind, about to make him regret the kiss when images of you angry at the headlines appeared. You did not want him. Leaning down, he captured Sharon’s lips again, hands finding their way to her torso. 

You walked through the halls, trying to get to the kitchen as soon as possible, wanting to apologise for seeming cold. The sight in the kitchen made you freeze. Sharon was pulling away from Steve, who waited for a second before leaning down to kiss her. It was like someone had run a tank over you, you felt absolutely destroyed. He made his choice. Your strength left you, your knees buckling for a second. You wanted to scream, rip the two apart but you steeled yourself for now. Hardening your heart, you stood up straight, clearing your throat. 

The two flung apart, Steve turning to see you, his eyes widening in shock and surprise. Sharon did not notice his sudden rigidity, sending you a nod and smile. “Tasha said you wanted to talk, but you’re clearly busy. Call on me when you’re done, or not.” 

Your tone was frigid, your voice full of venom and if looks could kill, Steve and Sharon would be cold on the floor. Not waiting for a response, you turned on your heel. Debating between running through the woods and destroying a small town, you forced yourself to walk to the training room. 

Not even bothering with a simulation, you snapped your fingers, outfit changing into a black sports bra and leggings that reached your knees. The disgust you were feeling in the deep pit of your stomach was jealousy, something you identified with fear. So you were jealous of Sharon. So you did feel something for Steve, something more than friends, something distinctly romantic. Fuck. 

Turning your attention to a punching bag, you cracked your knuckles before starting to punch. You let your thoughts fade away, the image of Steve leaning down to kiss Sharon slowly slipping away from your mind as you just focused on beating the shit out of the punching bag. Your hits became harder, the impact echoing off the walls till the punching bag fell to the floor. 

Grabbing a bow and a quiver full of arrows, you marched into the lawn, making multiple targets appear. Starting to aim, you started shooting arrows through the targets, and once the quiver emptied, you made all the arrows float back to you, starting again. Every single one hit dead centre. Your fingers started to sting, arm started to hurt, your rigid posture making your shoulders tense but you did not care. Eventually, you noticed your fingers started to bleed, but you did not care. When the blood made your grip slip, that was when you stopped. 

One swipe of your hand made the targets and your weapon disappear. Focusing on stopping the bleeding, you closed your eyes in concentration and started to walk back into the compound, not noticing the three droplets of blood falling onto the lawn. They fizzled in the grass, blue mist suddenly rising from those spots. When the mist cleared, three small rosebuds started to bloom in place of the blood. 

~

Inside your room, you shut the door tightly, muttering a charm under your breath so that nothing would make the door open. Leaning against it, you started to cry again. Slowly sinking to the floor, you hugged your knees. Burying your head in your lap, you cried, letting the pain your heart finally spill out. 

The last time you had cried so much was years ago, when Natasha was leaving the Room. After that, you had steeled yourself and made sure you did not cry. It meant being weak, and that was the one thing you could not afford to be in the Room. It felt almost good to let out all of your frustration for once. Willing your phone to float towards you from the desk, you sent Wanda a text that you would be taking a nap and that you may miss lunch. 

Once you were done you made the phone float back, continuing to cry. You wanted to go away, somewhere far where nobody had heard of the Avengers, somewhere you could momentarily forget your own past. You missed your home so much, it made you ache. Closing your eyes, you started to envision your home, slowly drifting to sleep.

~

Steve was mildly annoyed at your reaction to seeing him with Sharon. If you were not interested in him, why did you have to be so cold when he kissed someone else? 

It struck a nerve with him, and he could not help but start to tally a score for you in his head again. He had stopped after the day you both sat together in the lawn, but today you just rubbed him the wrong way. Sharon noticed his anger, asking what was wrong, but he had brushed off her questions with a smile, inviting her to join the team for lunch, which she had agreed to. 

Sitting at the table with the whole team, he could feel how uncomfortable the atmosphere was. Steve had asked where you were, Wanda chiming in that you were sleeping. This confused Steve, you rarely slept at night let alone in the day. Still, he pushed away these thoughts, focusing on Sharon. She was there with him, you were not. Lunch was oddly quiet, everyone seemed reserved around Sharon, giving one worded answers to her questions.

Sharon left immediately after lunch, promising to visit after the team had shifted back to the tower. He dropped her to her car, kissing her goodbye and turning to head inside, just to see Wanda standing there with wide eyes. Before he could ask her what was wrong, she turned and rushed inside. 

The redhead found Natasha, telling her what she saw, who in turn groaned audibly, starting to mutter something in Russian, Wanda catching the word ‘fucking idiots’ amongst unfamiliar ones. Expecting Natasha to rush to your room, Wanda was surprised when she instead made her way to discuss training logistics with Tony stating, “She needs to be alone right now. Trust me, you do not want to catch (Y/N) during one of her moods.”

~

You woke up feeling stiff, looking around to see you had fallen asleep on the floor. Getting up and stretching, you checked to see it was time for dinner. While you wanted to avoid it and avoid seeing Steve, you reminded yourself who you were. You had been through so much, a simple heartbreak paled in comparison. Besides, you could not let Steve think his being with Sharon affected you in any way. 

Walking out your room, you saw Wanda and Vision heading towards dinner and you joined them. Wanda threw you a look of concern but you sent her a smile. Once at the table, you took your usual seat, sending everyone a nod. Tony started speaking and you turned to face him, “Stay ready guys. Tomorrow morning we’ll be back at the Stark Tower. Fury even has a mission for (Y/N) and Steve.”

You wanted to slam your head against the table but you kept your face impassive. Steve tried to catch your eye but you focused on your plate. Once everyone was finished, you asked Tony if he could spare a minute. Steve watched your interaction, stalking off when he realised you would not be free to talk. 

“Whatcha need kid? I can’t technically have Sharon killed but-“ 

Cutting him off, you spoke, “I’d never give up the pleasure of killing her myself. But that’s not what I want to talk to you about. I was hoping if you could make me a weapon.” 

“I mean sure, are the daggers not doing it for you, you little hellion?” 

“They are adequate, guns are fine too and I know I have my powers but I don’t know, it just seems unnatural. I trained with a sword that day and it felt like second nature to me.”

“I hear you, but I don’t think hauling a sword around for missions is protocol. If there ever is a major fight, a battle of New York type shitshow, then yes I’ll design you a sword.”

“Hmm okay. That works. Thanks Tony!” You chirped, kissing his cheek and turning to walk away. 

“Listen! I can make you a dildo for now, seeing as Cap is occupied.” He joked and you rolled your eyes.

“Life is fucking me enough, I don’t need a small rubber penis to do it.”

He snickered at your response, letting out a yelp when you made a small pillow appear and hit his face for his previous jab, smirking and walking to your room. 

Wanting to occupy yourself, you manually started to pack away your clothes. One snap of your finger could have your task completed, but you wanted to not think of anything for a while. Moving at a glacial pace, you carefully folded each of your items away. Just as you were packing away the last of your clothes, something struck your memory. 

You did own a sword. Well kind of. There had been one in your home, hung against the wall, polished and shining. You would stare at it constantly, imagining yourself wielding it and slaying imaginary monsters. Your mother had caught you staring at it intently one day, smiling and leading you to sit on her lap in front of the fireplace. 

“This sword belonged to my great great great grandmother. It’s been passed down our family since. It is meant for you, as you are meant for it.” 

You had asked if you could use it now, and she had shook her head, her beautiful face shifting into a smile as she chided, “Not now draga mea. When the time comes.” 

You inhaled sharply, reeling from this memory. Oddly enough, it had never come to you when you were in the Room. Then again, you had blocked out your childhood to avoid the hurt. It left you worried, how much did you not remember? Even the outline of your home seemed faint now. When the time came, you could ask Wanda to probe through your brain and bring down any wall you had set up-you felt as if something imperative was being kept from you. 

As much as you wanted to investigate this immediately, you had a more pressing matter to deal with-the mission with Steve. You knew you could count on yourself to be professional and detached, but could you trust yourself to not slap the shit out of Steve? Doubtful. 

~

You had not slept, choosing to float around your room and meditate. You were trying to get complete silence and concentrate on your meditating and hopefully be able to slip past the constraints of reality and time in an attempt to remember more of your childhood. Alas, you could hear the sounds of the wind rustling the leaves, of crickets chirping in the night, Steve’s faint breathing distracting you. Try as you might, you could not block them out, neither could you give up your exploit. 

So engrossed you were in your near impossible task, you did not notice the time pass by till the sun hit your eyes. Sighing, you abandoned your attempts, floating back down and walking into the bathroom, hoping a shower would freshen you up.

Stepping out in a towel, you picked out a pair of black leather shorts, pairing it with a matching turtleneck and fishnet tights. Pinning away a few strands of hair, you left the rest loose. Making your things float behind you, you walked to the kitchen. 

Shoving every fruit you could see into the blender along with a tray of ice, you sat on the countertop, waiting for your makeshift smoothie to be finished. Transferring it into a flask you started to sip, smiling at the tart yet delicious taste. Tony came in and you offered the flask to him. He took a swig, nose crinkling and sputtered in disgust exclaiming, “I thought it was alcohol. Who the fuck has fruit in the morning.”

You rolled your eyes at him, continuing to enjoy your fruity creation as the rest of the team filtered in. Steve gave you a once over before reaching behind you to get some toast. As he leaned closer, you could smell his fresh soap, willing yourself to look unaffected. 

He pulled away, starting to eat and you got off the counter, stretching so that your shirt rid up over your toned stomach before walking towards the lawn, calling out behind you, “I’ll be waiting for you all.”

Steve’s jaw clenched at the way you sauntered, hips swaying, the fishnets looking as enticing as when you wore your garter stockings. He waited for the team to finish eating before heading to the awaiting helicopter with everyone else-not wanting to be alone with you. Of course, he would have to spend time with you soon enough since you both had a mission coming up. 

He knew you both made a good team, you would handle and destroy anything thrown at you and make sure the mission was completed. Inside the helicopter, he took a seat at the front with Tony, Wanda and Natasha flanking you with Vision content to just sit and observe. 

The trip was quiet for Steve, Tony busy with his phone to engage in conversation, while you were whispering away with Natasha and Wanda. Landing onto the roof, you were the first to jump out and stretch, you were back with civilisation. Not wanting to be cooped up in your room, you turned to Natasha and Wanda and asked, “Do you want to hit the city with me?” 

They nodded enthusiastically and Tony chimed in, “Remember to be back before the mission debriefing (Y/N).”

Nodding, you headed towards the elevator, Wanda saying she needed to change. Getting off on the floor with her and Vision’s quarters, Natasha and you followed the witch into the bedroom. Making yourself comfortable on one of the chairs, you waited for her to change, Natasha taking this time to turn to you and whisper, “Are you okay?”

You nodded, denial was the way to go always, and sent her a smile to assure her you would not end up doing something stupid. Wanda walked out, in a pair of worn jeans and a flannel shirt and you winked at her. “Won’t we be recognised?” She asked, ruffling a hand through her hair and you shook your head.

“I’ll place a small glamour on us, so at most we’ll look familiar to people, but they won’t be able to tell where they recognise us from.” You responded, springing up and turning to Natasha.

She nodded, getting up slowly and asked, “Do you want to take one of Tony’s cars or should we walk?”

“Walking is good. I want to see the city.” You responded, already out the door.

Heading down the elevator, the three of you chatted about being back in the Tower when Wanda brought up your mission, “What do you think it is?”

“I am prepared for anything. Lets hope it’s a real mission and not some public appearance because I will stab myself in the jugular with a fork.” You muttered.

Stepping outside, you took a deep breath, inhaling the vast array of smells and smiling slowly. Natasha and Wanda followed you as you sauntered down the street, taking in your surroundings. The city never failed to interest you, you enjoyed observing everyone scurry about their lives, it intrigued you to see them be so mundane. They never thought about how fleeting their existence was, how quickly their lives could be thorn asunder. 

You were snapped out of your reverie when you felt Natasha’s hand on your arm, sending you a concerned look. You shrugged, walking on until you smelt coffee in the air. Following the scent, you found yourself in front of a small coffee shop, tucked between an alleyway. Turning to the other two, a question in your gaze, you waited for them to nod before stepping inside. The interiors were cozy, albeit a little worn down. Everything was warm tones of brown or deep shades of red, the scent of coffee delicious. 

Natasha wanted an americano, Wanda opting for a caramel latte while you decided on a double shot espresso. Watching the two take a seat in a small booth, you walked to the counter, only to see nobody there. You saw a small bell which you tapped, its ringing echoing through the empty shop. “Just a second!” You heard a voice yell.

The owner of the voice appeared, a boy not older than 16. His eyes widened when he saw you, unable to help himself as he blurted out, “Oh wow.”

Your eyes twinkled in amusement, he was staring at you. You raised your eyebrow, causing him to cough awkwardly, running a hand through his messy brown mane before asking, “What would you like?” 

You told him your order, pulling out one of Tony’s cards and observing how his hands shook when he took it from you. You concealed your enjoyment, keeping your face neutral as he scanned the card. He leaned an elbow against the counter, attempting to be suave as he said, “I haven’t seen you here before.” 

You nodded, and he continued, “Would you be a model by any chance? You look familiar.” 

You wanted to smirk, but you shook your head. He returned the card, saying, “I’ll bring your order to the table.”

Nodding, put a hand in your pocket, attempting to look like you were finding change. When his attention was diverted making the coffee, you snapped a finger, making a few coins appear in your hand which you placed into the tip jar before walking towards the table. Taking your seat, you whispered your interaction to the two, causing them to giggle. 

“You have found your dream man.” Wanda said, unable to keep a straight face. 

“Speaking of men, if you want to talk about you know what, this might be the best time.” Natasha said gently and you sighed. 

“So, I might not be completely unconcerned about Steve and Sharon.” You muttered in a low voice, eyes concentrating on the patterns on the table.

“And why is that?” Wanda prompted, wanting you to finally say it out loud. 

“I may like him. Romantically.” You said, voice slightly louder. 

“I knew it.” You heard them both say at the same time, head snapping up in surprise, sending them both a glare.

“Come on. I was barely obvious. It’s not like I’m in love with him or anything.” You protested. 

“Not yet.” Wanda sang and you narrowed your eyes at her.

“He’s with Sharon now. I am too late. Besides, like I’ve said a million times, he would not want to be with someone like me.” 

“You have everyone falling in love with you. How could Steve resist?” Wanda insisted. 

“I meant how I am as a person. I’m bad to the bone and I don’t mind that, but I’m sure he does.” 

“Listen. There is darkness in you sestra, I know this better than anyone. But there is light too. You have something about you, something that makes me believe you can heal the world.” Natasha spoke, her eyes full of conviction. 

Her words echoed in your mind, the voice changing to your mother’s as she told you the same thing, “You’ll heal the world one day.” 

Before you could allow yourself to sink into this memory, you saw the cashier walk towards you all, placing the orders and a napkin. When he walked away, you realised he had put his number onto it and you wanted to laugh, poor kid. Taking a sip of your drink, you closed your eyes in appreciation as Wanda spoke, “I honestly think Steve likes you too.” 

“There’s a difference between liking the way I look and liking me for me.” You countered, placing your cup on the table.

“You are so stubborn sestra. How do you plan on dealing with this situation?” Natasha asked.

“Well, it’s not the Room so I can’t just ‘get rid’ of Sharon. I’m going to try and keep my distance from Steve and get over whatever stupid crush I have on him.” 

“What if you don’t get over him?” Natasha asked.

Before you could answer, Wanda chimed in, “Besides, you have a mission with him in a while, so the avoiding is not going to work either.” 

Their words put you in a dilemma but you wanted to present as calm, so you grasped at straws, responding, “I’ll be professional when I’m around him. I have been through literal hell, I can handle heartbreak.” 

“You think you can sestra. Trust me, it kills you slowly.” Natasha said, her tone darkening. 

You covered her hand with yours, squeezing it gently and whispering, "Toate cele frumoase, poartă și ponoase.” 

Natasha sent you a weak smile, nodding slowly and sipping her coffee. While Wanda did not understand what you said, she understood what was being discussed. “What was he like?” She asked Natasha, her voice low and hesitant. 

“Perfect. He was absolutely perfect. So strong and I don’t mean just physically. He got me through the Room. Sometimes I see him in everything around me. His eyes are in the sky, and I find myself looking into crowds and hoping to see him standing there waiting for me.”

Natasha’s eyes glazed over, tears brimming and your heart ached for her. You had seen her with him, seen how happy she was despite everything and hoped to whatever God was listening that she stay happy. But like you whispered to her in Romanian, all that is fair must fade. He had been snatched away from her, and Natasha was too devastated to nurture the hope that he was alive. 

You did not know how to ease her pain, so you just hugged her tightly. Finishing your drinks, you kept a few more coins on the table before getting up and walking out. Checking the time, you saw it was almost evening, and you had to be there for the mission briefing. The three of you rushed back to the Tower, getting on the elevator. 

All of you got off on the floor with Tony’s lab, heading inside. Tony stood tinkering away at something, Vision watching him. Breathing a sigh of relief that you were not late, you handed Tony back his card. He noticed Natasha looking slightly distressed, sending you a questioning look and you shook your head imperceptibly, stopping him from asking any questions. 

Steve marched in, nodding at everyone and turning to stare at you, waiting for you to acknowledge him. You sent him a small nod, turning to face the digital screen Tony had opened up. Fury’s image appeared on the screen as he started to speak, “The Secretary General has been kidnapped. Everyone’s losing their mind. Since it is a highly publicised case, we need (Y/N) and Steve to go in and save him and take down the building he’s kept in. It’ll help with the team’s public image, and fuel the power couple fire. We need to nail this.” 

Before you could protest, his image disappeared, files appearing in its stead. Tony handed you the screen and you scanned through them quickly before handing them to Steve. The mission was simple, he had last been seen in Phoenix. You both were given coordinates of the place he was supposedly held, a tall building in the middle of nowhere. Not at all suspicious. You just had to get in and save him, set off a few explosives and bring down the building. A quinjet would be provided to you for transport.

Turning to Tony, you nodded slowly and he spoke, “The quinjet will be waiting to take you to Phoenix in one hour. It’ll have the explosives inside. You’ll have to land it at least a mile away from the building. I suggest you get ready.”

Nodding, you walked towards the elevator, Natasha and Wanda joining you. You saw Steve standing to talk to Tony and you shrugged. Excusing yourself from the two, you walked into your room and smiled. It had been a while since you had seen it. Getting onto the bed, you pulled the covers up over your head, having blinds cover the windows. You wanted to sleep, but you inhaled deeply, turning and shoving your face into a pillow before screaming in frustration. 

This mission with Steve was another publicity stunt of sorts. It would serve to further the narrative of you two as a superhero couple, and an added slap to the face was the fact that he was with Sharon. Getting out of bed, you slipped on your bodysuit and combat boots. Brushing through your hair, you decided to leave it open for now. Wearing the halter for your daggers, you went back down to Tony’s lab to collect your weapons. 

Strapping on your daggers, you saw Tony come towards you. He handed you a bow with a quiver full off arrows and said, “Here’s something I’ve been working on. Some of them are normal arrows, some explode and some shock. If you press this small button on the quiver, they will come back from the target to the quiver, no matter what they’ve pierced through. Not the explosive ones of course.” 

You smiled at him, holding your new toy and testing its string, hugging Tony and saying, “I love it.” 

“I’ll have eyes on you the whole time hellion, you don’t need to worry.” 

“I’m not worried. And are we really sticking with this nickname?” You asked, smirking at him. 

“One of many kid, one of many. Here, take a comm just in case.” 

Nodding, you placed it into your ear, about to head to the roof when he stopped you, “I’ll take you.”

Rolling your eyes at his protectiveness you teased, “It’s a mission, not my wedding. You don’t need to escort me down the aisle.”

“I’ll do that too when the time comes kid, believe me.” He responded, still walking with you to the elevator.

You tried to conceal your smile but it was impossible, Tony was like the brother you never had. You were content observing him till the elevator reached the roof, getting off to see Steve waiting for you by the Quinjet in his stealth suit, shield in hand. 

Turning to Tony, you sent him a nod and a wink before starting to walk towards the Quinjet. You saw Tony muttering something to Steve and you concentrated on his words, catching the end, “-kill you if something happens to her this time.”

You smiled at his protectiveness, Tony was such a secret marshmallow. You placed your weapons to the side for now, heading to the pilots bay and taking a seat, hands on the steering. Steve stepped on, closing the door and you slowly raised the quinjet, making it start to fly up the slowly darkening sky. Steve came to sit next to you and while you tensed at his proximity, you presented as calm. 

“(Y/N) I’ll fly it. You go to the back and rest.” He said in a low voice. 

“It’s fine, I’m okay honestly.” You replied, keeping your eyes on the horizon.

You heard him sigh audibly, his hand reaching out for the steering as he said, “Please. I need you on top of your game. I’ll handle this.” 

He sounded almost sad, so you listened, giving up your seat to him. As you were about to leave, you whispered, “Thank you.”

Walking to the back, you made yourself comfortable on one of the seats, leaning back and closing your eyes. You would arrive in about three hours if Steve kept a good speed. Closing your eyes, you fell into a dreamless sleep. 

Steve was on edge after Tony’s words, a lot was riding on this mission. It was the first one since the ‘exile’ and rescuing the Secretary General was no small deal. Plus things with you had been a bit strained after everything that had happened. Tony threatening him to look after you was also lingering on his mind, Steve feeling annoyed that Tony even had to say it. Albeit his previous track record was a bit iffy, but he cared for you, he would take care of you. 

He had seen you sitting tense as you flew the quinjet, bags under your eyes. He knew you had not slept, so he offered to drive. You protested at first, but relented when you saw his pleading gaze. Now, Steve was almost about to reach the designated landing field when he put the quinjet on autopilot, wanting to check on you. 

Making sure he was as quiet as possible, he made his way to the back, to see you fast asleep. You looked calm, the irritated frown that had made its way to your brow over the past few days had disappeared. He watched you for a moment, the gentle rise and fall of your chest, your lashes framing your cheeks and he felt himself smile. 

He slowly called out to you, “(Y/N) wake up. We’re almost there.” 

Your eyes fluttered open immediately and you got up, following him to the pilot bay, feeling comparatively well rested. Checking the map to see you were near, you asked if Steve had turned on the cloaking device for the jet. He nodded and you sighed in relief, asking him to land while you suited up. Walking back, you strapped on your daggers, hooking the quiver to you and wearing the bow across your body. Picking up the bag of explosives, you waited till Steve landed the jet and came out back before handing it to him. 

“They want us to get him out and away before we bring down the building.” Steve said and you nodded.

“They’ll have a jet waiting for him for extraction, I can float him out to it while we place the explosives.” You said, cracking your neck as Steve opened the door. 

Getting off onto the open field, you could barely make out the building in the distance. Waiting for Steve to drop down next to you, you made sure the quinjet was effectively hidden. Steve strapped on the bag of explosives, shield in hand and you closed your eyes, concentrating so that both you and Steve would be temporarily undetected by the buildings security system. You still had to figure out who took the Secretary General, but you were sure you both would figure it out once you were inside the premises. 

It was a bit risky going in blind, but you knew Fury sent you both in because he knew you could handle it. Once you neared the building, you paused at the sheer size of it. The structure had to be at least sixty floors and you turned to Steve, how the fuck were you both supposed to find the Secretary General now? 

Steve was worried but he did not show it, instead signalling for you to follow him. Crouching low, you both inched closer till you could see the entrance, multiple guards outside armed with guns. “We could take them out from a distance.” Steve suggested and you shook your head in disagreement.

“There’s 10. By the time the first one drops, the others will alert the whole building.”

“What do you suggest then?” Steve asked, his tone laced with annoyance, head snapping to face you. 

You thought for a second, a risky idea crossing your mind and you spoke, “I could place a cloaking spell on us and we could sneak past. I have never done it before so I’m not sure about the success rate.”

“What other choice do we have? If they see us I want you to throw an energy blast straight at them and take them out, do not worry about being detected. Got it?” 

You nodded, taking a deep breath before snapping your fingers and envisioning yourself becoming invisible. “I can still see you, it’s not working.” You heard Steve say, frustration evident in his features.

“Trust me. We are invisible to them. Half of this is about belief, so I need you to believe that you can’t be seen. Work with me here.” You implored and he nodded slowly. 

Both of you stood up, starting to walk straight to the entrance. You could tell Steve was on edge, his jaw clenched and you were worried too. You passed by the first guard, hand on your dagger’s hilt just in case. You could see Steve start to relax as you crossed by more guards undetected. Finally, you reached the door and slipped inside. The area looked like a hotel reception, pristine and empty, and your brows furrowed in confusion. 

Not wanting to let your guard down, you still kept up the cloaking spell, signalling for Steve to stay close as you started to investigate. You found a computer, starting to type away and figure out where the Secretary General was kept. “Start planting the explosives while I work on this.” You whispered to Steve and he nodded.

One eye trained on him as he placed the small devices in all four corners of the room. Once he was done, he came back to you as you kept searching. Most of the floors below level 30 were under construction. “Let’s start there.” Steve said and you nodded, getting up and heading to the elevator. 

“This is so unnerving, how can the building be so empty?” You muttered as the elevator started climbing up. 

“Maybe they are all guarding the Secretary General. They know there would be rescue attempts.” He responded, cracking his knuckles as the elevator dinged. 

You stepped off into a hallway, slate grey and completely empty. Raising a finger to your lips, you concentrated on your hearing, trying to see if anyone was on this floor. When you heard nothing, you shook your head at Steve, who checked with his own advanced hearing before nodding. “We should keep moving up.” He said, about to turn back to the elevator when you shook your head no. 

“Stairs. That thing is too slow and it puts us at a disadvantage, it could open up to armed guards.” You said, Steve getting flashbacks of his tussle in the elevator and nodded. 

Walking down the hallway you turned to the left and found the staircase. It winded upwards and you paused for a second. Wanting to make sure the floors downstairs were empty, you formed a small ball of energy on your finger, no bigger than the size of a pea and sent it floating downwards. It would float past the floors and detect any form of life and you would know. Steve watched you as you waited for the ball to float back up. Absorbing it into your finger, you saw what it had floated past and sensed. The floors really were empty, and this confused you. 

Climbing up the stairs, you suddenly remembered the comm. Tapping away at it, you muttered in a low voice, “Tony I hope you can hear me. You’ve seen everything, we’d love a little help on where he is.”

You waited, hoping he would respond. You sighed with relief when you heard Tony speak, “He’s on level 59 kid. I’ve scoped out the building, it was supposed to be a hotel but the owner ran out of money and legal issues made it impossible to reuse the building or bring it down. S.H.I.E.L.D suspects the KGB using it as a base and that’s why they want it down. You should know that they have a small army up on that level to protect him, plus more on every other floor. Be careful.”

“Steve are you getting this?” You asked and he nodded, both of you starting to climb up the steps swiftly, making sure to be as quiet as possible. 

Once you reached level 59, you took a deep breath and concentrated. You could hear at least seventy men in that hallway, and you conveyed this information to Steve. Unstrapping a dagger, you handed it to him wordlessly. He was about to refuse when you snapped, “You’re going to fucking need it Cap.” 

“Language.” He hissed, stiffly taking the dagger and gripping it tightly. 

“We go in guns blazing, we have the element of surprise. You have your shield to block bullets, I’ll improvise. Got it?” You asked unhooking your bow and notching an arrow, the soldier’s face hardening. 

Taking a deep breath, you both stepped out into the hallway. Immediately, every single guard turned to face you both. You counted down from three before you released one arrow, the bullets starting to fire simultaneously as one guard dropped dead. You regretted the decision to not have a shield, forgetting you could make one out of energy like Wanda taught you. You felt someone grab your waist and shove you onto the floor, turning to see Steve had ducked you both behind his shield. 

You threw him an incredulous look as the bullets kept firing. You counted the rounds, springing up as soon as you knew the chamber had emptied. A thought crossed by your head, these were people you could kill and maim and not be punished for. 'Emotional catharsis here I come’ you thought to yourself, letting out a yell and charging at them, Steve watching you like you were deranged. 

Notching your arrows, you brought down two guards at a time as you rushed across the hallway. As soon as they were at a swiping distance, you got out your dagger and started to slash away. It felt amazing to be back in the field after the exile, while you had enjoyed the relaxation, nothing got your heart pumping more than fighting. Nothing other than the idiot super soldier who had finally realised it was time to attack and was running down the hall, dodging bullets and throwing punches. 

‘Focus’ you screamed at yourself, shoving your dagger through one guard’s face. One kicked you from behind, and you whirled to him, head butting him and hearing his nose break. You were further up the hallway than Steve, more guards rushing at you and you tried to swing at them. One pushed you up against the wall, the impact causing your dagger to clatter to the floor. He was about to punch you, you had to think fast and you felt around for your quiver, pulling out an arrow and shoving it into his jugular, watching in sadistic pleasure as he started to scream, shocks jolting his body as he fell to the floor. 

Picking up the dagger and ripping the arrow out his throat, you charged again, hacking away at the guards. Steve was next to you now, using your dagger surprisingly well. Focusing, you made your free hand light up, throwing a fire ball at one of the three men on Steve, causing him to writhe on the floor. Whirling around, you stabbed an oncoming assailant in the stomach. Eventually, you both took all the guards down, you feeling much lighter and happier. 

Blowing hair away from your face, you both reached the end of the hallway to the door. It was metal and most probably coded. Eyes narrowing, you asked Steve to step back, not giving a warning as you threw an energy blast at it. The sound echoed against your ears, Steve about to berate you for your impulsive move when the dust cleared, showing a large hole in the door. Sending Steve a smirk, you stepped into the room, seeing about five startled guards who rushed at you. Steve stepped in after you, throwing his shield at one of the approaching guards. You made quick work of the rest, eye catching the figure tied up in the corner. 

Walking up to it, you removed the cloth from its head to see the Secretary General. “We’re here to rescue you sir.” Steve said as you cut through the restraints. 

The man stood up shakily, Steve checking his vitals before nodding at you. “That blast has probably alerted the guards on the other floors, we need to get him out now.” Steve said and you nodded. 

Steve hoisted him up, rushing towards the stairs and you followed. Getting an idea, you took the bag of explosives from Steve, stabbing through it with one of your exploding arrows. Timing the arrow for exactly ten minutes, you aimed towards the railing of level 30, watching your arrow fly with the bag and embed itself there. You could see guards rushing up the stairs towards you and you followed Steve out onto the roof. 

You could see the extraction jet flying towards the building, and you nodded at Steve before turning to the Secretary General and speaking, “I need you to trust me right now. I’m going to levitate you to the jet, they’ll take you in. You need to stay absolutely still okay?”

The man, probably doped up on some type of drug, nodded slowly and you concentrated, manipulating the wind and making the Secretary General float towards the jet. The door was wide open, you could see people waiting to pull him in and you focused. Propelling him to the jet, you tried to ignore the fact that some guards had made their way up to the roof, attacking Steve. You trusted him to protect you so you did not turn back, focusing and finally placing the Secretary General in safe hands.

Steve saw you escorting the Secretary General to the jet, knowing you had to concentrate. He turned back to the staircase entrance, tight grip on his shield and your dagger, ready to defend. The first few guards came up, he knocked two down with his shield, rushing towards them and starting to fight. He had to admit it was helpful having a dagger, it made things a bit easier for him right now. He saw one guard slip past him, headed towards you and he threw your dagger, watching it embed itself in the back of the guard’s skull as he dropped dead. 

Steve kept knocking out the guards and just as he was about to get overwhelmed, you turned. Twisting your fingers, you made the guards surrounding Steve fly apart, making them float upwards before colliding them with the floor. You heard their bones snap, making them float and having their corpses form a barricade against the staircase entrance. Walking to Steve to see if he was okay, he nodded, picking up his shield and you got your daggers. Steve walked to the middle of the roof and started barking into his comm, asking Tony to get the quinjet to fly to you both. 

Out of the corner of your eye, you saw someone about to swipe at Steve and tackled him immediately, twisting your body so that you were behind him, dagger up to his throat. Steve turned to see the commotion and you were about to kill the man when he shouted out, “Wait! Stop! I surrender! Don’t kill me! I have useful information.” 

You rolled your eyes, knowing he was lying and started to move your dagger when Steve shook his head. This made your anger flare up and you snapped, “Do not tell me you believe this man. I’m killing him and we are leaving.” 

“That’s not what we do here (Y/N). We save people. Let him go.” Steve said, his tone authoritative. 

You did not budge, glaring at Steve who glared right back, your dagger tight against his skin.

“That’s an order (Y/N). Let. Him. Go.” Steve thundered, his expression livid. 

“Goddammit Steve, I’m telling you the moment I let him go, he will try to kill us. That’s what people like him do.” You snarled, acutely aware about how the building was going to explode in a few minutes. 

“I won’t! I promise I won’t! I know who you’re looking for! I know where he is!” The man yelled, and you observed Steve go rigid, hope flaring in his eyes. 

Steve turned to you, eyes hard as he said, “Let him go right now or so help me. Do it (Y/N).” 

“The buildings going to go down in minutes Steve, are you fucking serious right now?” You screamed, not believing the super soldier. 

Clenching his jaw, he picked up his shield, standing in position like he was going to throw it at you before he spat out, “Don’t make me do this. Trust me. He’s surrendered and we need to give him a chance.” 

You knew Steve was dead serious and you hated what you were about to do. Every cell in your body screaming against it, you slowly let go of the man, stepping away. He smiled, starting to walk towards Steve who called out, “Where is he?”

Immediately, the man pulled a gun out of his jacket, screaming, “In hell! That’s where I’m sending her too!” 

Steve shoved him but it was too late, the bullet flew from the pun and pierced your left arm. You let out a scream of anger, whipping your head to send Steve a murderous look. Flicking your wrist, you made him fly away from the man, walking towards him. Leaning over the man, foot on his stomach to stop him from moving, you crouched down low. You were angry at Steve for being so trusting, for assuming all humans deserved to be saved, that everyone was inherently good, your anger at him choosing Sharon also bubbling up. 

You shoved your hand though the man’s chest, piercing through the flesh and finding what you were looking for. Gripping it tight, you stood up, ripping out the man’s heart and turning to make eye contact with Steve. He looked slightly scared, and he watched you crush the organ before throwing it away. 

“I fucking told you Steve!” You screamed, making your way towards him. 

Anger sparked in him too, logic stated he back down but his stubborn side encouraged him to yell back, exploding building be damned, “I had to give him the benefit of the doubt! People aren’t always bad.”

You laughed darkly, stepping closer to him as you spat out, “Yes they are. Humans are bad to the core and nobody knows this better than me. It’s your delusion if you think they can be saved because they can’t. Your delusion led to me getting shot.” 

“Not everyone’s like that (Y/N) and you know it.” 

“Just because you think everyone can be saved doesn’t mean I agree. Do not make me go out on a line for that belief again.” You said, voice harsh.

Steve would respond when you saw the quinjet coming towards you, feeling the building rumble. “The lower bombs must have gone off.” Steve said and you nodded, calculating one minute before your arrow went off. 

Walking towards the edge, you turned to Steve and said, “The buildings going down in a minute, time to leave.” 

You grabbed his shoulder and threw him off the roof, turning to scan the area for any other threat when you heard Tony’s voice scream in the comm, “What the fuck (Y/N)?! I know you’re mad at the fucker, but why’d you throw him off the roof?”

Your eyes widened when you realised Steve could not fly. “Fuck” You screamed, jumping down after him.

Manipulating the wind so that you caught up to him faster, you grabbed onto him with your good arm, pushing yourself up to the quinjet. Steve’s expression was incredulous, and you sent him a withering look. “You threw me off.” He yelled over the wind.

“I caught you too. Now shut up.” You retorted, nearing the quinjet. Throwing Steve inside, you grabbed onto the side as he started to fly it away from the building just as it started to explode. You hoisted yourself up, closing the door, Steve making the quinjet go full speed to avoid impact with the explosion. 

Now that you were safe and the adrenaline had stopped pumping, your arm started to hurt. Going into the pilots bay, you sent Steve a pointed look as you sat down next to him, taking out your dagger and making a slit over the bullet wound. Steve watched as you took out the bullet before covering the wound with your arm, screwing your eyes shut. 

After a minute, you opened your eyes and removed your hand, the wound completely healed and you sighed, Steve deliberately avoiding your gaze. Rolling your eyes, still angry at him you walked back outside. Why would he risk his safety and yours for information? Who was he searching for? 

~

You both reached the Tower in record time, Steve knowing you had made the wind push the quinjet even faster, wanting to be away from him as soon as possible. He still could not believe you had thrown him off a building, even though he knew he deserved it. 

He had made you get hurt, again. This time he had been a fool and put his selfish needs above yours. So willing he was to believe that the man had information on him, he had put both his and your life at risk. He knew you would confront him about it later, hoping to god you would not mention this to Tony. 

He had never seen you this angry before, or this barbaric. You had ripped out that man’s heart with your bare hands. He did not know whether to be scared shitless or turned on. He settled on the former, avoiding eye contact with you lest you start to yell at him again. 

Reaching the Tower, the team flooded around you both as soon as you got off. You waved off their concerns, sending Steve one last glare before saying you needed to wash the blood off you. Walking away, you saw Tony flip off Steve who glared in return. As soon as you were in your room, you stripped off your clothing, rushing into the shower and starting it, the water scalding. 

You let out a frustrated groan at Steve’s actions, he was so fucking stubborn it made you want to rip your hair out. Scrubbing yourself so that all the blood was off you, you washed yourself with scented soaps and massaged your head. Stepping out smelling fresh and clean, you dried yourself magically, wanting to relax and towel dry your hair. Dressed in grey sweatpants and a black t-shirt, you were about to flop onto the bed when your phone beeped, seeing a text from Tony, ‘Meet me on the roof.’ Forehead crinkling, you got up, wearing a comfortable pair of slippers and making your way up to the roof. 

~

Tony flipped off Steve, about to go off on how stupid he was being when he got a call from one of the lab technicians in the compound. Gesturing for the team to leave the roof, he made Steve stay as he attended the call. 

“Sir, you need to see this.” He heard the voice say, call ending as he received an attachment. Steve looked at him mildly curious, Tony remembering his anger.

“Do you have to try to kill her every single fucking mission. One time Steve, just one time, try to bring her back unharmed! Why do you have to be such a mantis with your mate!” Tony yelled, suddenly pausing when he blurted out the last part.

Steve’s eyes widened comically large as he asked forcefully, “What do you mean by that?” 

“Mantis eat their mates after sex.” Tony stated, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

“First of all, stop using the word mates, we aren’t animals. Second of all, I’m with Sharon. (Y/N) is a friend.” Steve retorted, willing himself to believe those words. 

Tony pulled his best 'cut the bullshit’ look and said, “Then how do you explain your behaviour towards her since the day you saw her?”

Steve hesitated, starting to speak and pausing, “That’s- I-”

Tony jumped at this opportunity, smirking as he stepped closer to the super soldier, cutting off his pitiful attempts at an answer and saying, “Admit it Steve. She gets under your skin. She affects you in ways nobody has before. And it scares you. Goddammit it scares you to the core.”

“That is not true Anthony.” Steve replied pointedly.

Tony’s smirk increased in size, Steve must be starting to get seriously affected if he was using Tony’s full name. Tony was about to add another retort when his phone rang again, same lab technician. “Ah fuck.” He muttered, attending the call. 

“Sir? Did you see?” The voice asked.

“Hold on a sec.” Tony responded.

Pulling the phone away from his ear, he opened the attachment to see a video. Pressing play, he saw the lawn of the compound. Nothing looked out of place, the gardener was mowing away when something caught his eye. Three roses blooming in the middle of the lawn, one blue, one black and one red. The gardener looked at them in surprise, trying to pull them out, but failing. Tony saw the man tug with all his strength, unable to get them out. He then tried to mow over them, and Tony watched as the lawnmower broke down, its blades damaged as the flowers stood unharmed. What the actual fuck.

“I saw it. Do nothing to the flowers, keep this under wraps. I’m going to analyse footage and get back to you.” 

Steve looked at him questioningly, shaking his head and starting to stretch, seeing the sun inch up. Tony scanned through the compound’s footage, his eyes widening at what he saw. He immediately sent you a text, asking you to come up. He watched Steve avoid eye contact, knowing his words had resonated with the super solider to an extent. Tony saw you come up, looking confused. 

Steve saw you too, unnerved by all Tony had said, especially when he felt parts of him agree with everything. What was this? Remembering that you both had to make a mission report, he started walking towards you, as did Tony. 

You saw both men walk towards you, pausing a few paces away and saying simultaneously, “I need to talk to you.” 

You grimaced, turning to Tony and raising an eyebrow, willing him to speak. “Emergency at the compound. You need to head there with me now.”

Your expression turned curious before you turned to Steve who said, “We need to make a mission report.”

Your choice was made, there was no way you were spending any more time with Steve, especially since he caused you to get shot a few hours ago. “You’ll make the report, you’ll keep both roof incidents out of it for our mutual benefit, and you’ll add my name under the report or I’ll show Fury the bullet. I’ll be attending to this emergency.” You spoke, your tone severe, leaving no room for debate. 

Steve’s jaw clenched but he nodded, heading downstairs when Tony called out behind him, “Tell everyone we’ll be back by evening!” 

You groaned, turning to Tony with an exasperated expression, “What is it exactly? I wanted to nap.” 

“Nap on the way kid. This is important.” He responded, already stepping onto the quinjet.

You sighed wearily, muttering “There’s no rest for the wicked.” 

Stepping onto the quinjet, you snapped your finger, making a small mattress appear on the floor between the seats, sinking onto it and curling up as Tony started to fly, your eyes shutting almost immediately. 

~

You were shaken awake by Tony, eyes bleary and a headache forming as you sat up. Standing up and stretching, you walked out, following Tony across the lawn into the building. 

You had expected to see the compound burning, the zombies invading, something or the other to warrant Tony not letting you unwind, but everything looked fine. He led you into the control room, asking everyone to leave as you expressed your sentiment to him. 

He ignored you, pulling up a video and shifting it onto the large digital screen and saying, “Watch.”

Your brows furrowed as the video started to play, it was you practicing archery out in the lawn from when you saw Steve kissing Sharon. “It’s just me, what’s wrong?” You asked, turning to Tony.

“Keep watching.” He said, crossing his arms.

Turning back to the screen, you watched as your fingers started to bleed and you stopped shooting, healing your fingers and heading inside. Looking closer, you saw your blood fall onto the grass. Tony zoomed in on the video and you saw three flower buds emerge, your eyes popping out of your head. 

He played another video, this one of the gardener attempting to uproot the flowers but failing miserably. You watched on with shocked horror as the lawnmower broke down, its blades dented. What the hell. 

You turned to Tony, your expression worried as he took a deep breath before asking, “What exactly are you kid?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soo, I know it got longg, and introduced several dramatic new plot points, but I hope you all enjoyed it, please let me know what you thought in the comments. I will hand virtual cookies to those who can guess who or what the reader is, as well as Nat's mystery man ;). Alsooo, I lowkey have a tumblr, its AzureFangirl, pleasee hit me up i am very friendly and would love to talk to you guys! Again, lemme know if you want me posting translations next to the words or whether it's fine in the bottom notes. I lovee you all so much, see you next update!!  
Draga mea (Romanian)- My darling  
Sestra (Russian)- Sister  
Toate cele frumoase, poartă și ponoase (Romanian)- All that is fair must fade, nothing lasts forever


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello my babies, I am so sorry for disappearing for a month! The world has been inching towards hell and I thought the quarantine would help me focus on writing, but it has taken a toll on my mental health. It took a lot to get this chapter out, I owe my friend T for helping me gather my thoughts and finally put out a chapter. I was down and miserable and reading all your lovely comments honestly made me so happy, they are honestly my lifeline and I am so grateful to each and every one of you for your lovely feedback and kudos! Everyone please stay safe from the virus, stay inside and wash your hands, let's flatten the curve together!! I wish you all health and happiness <3  
Enjoy!

To say you were shocked would be an understatement. It seemed as if the ground had been snatched from underneath you. You stared at Tony, searching for a slip in his solemn demeanour. A twitch of the mouth, a twinkle of the eye, anything to comfort you with the fact that the footage was fake, that you had not actually caused three indestructible flowers to grow. When he did not budge, you started to panic.

“I- I don’t know how I did that. I swear to you Tony I-"

“I believe you kid. You look as surprised as I did. But we need to figure out how you did this. Did anything like this ever happen back in the Red Room?” 

You shook your head no, Tony’s forehead creasing as he muttered, “Yeah, well they did have you on suppressants the whole time, maybe this is a new emerging power.” 

You shrugged, equally confused at what had happened. Tony walked up to you, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. “We should go and see the flowers for ourselves, okay?”

His tone was gentle and you nodded, getting up and following him hesitantly out to the lawn. Tony went first, stopping in front of the flowers. They were in full bloom now, the stalks reaching up to Tony’s knee. He sniffed the air, brows creasing, a hand up signalling you to stay back. 

You wanted to listen to him, you really did, but you felt drawn to the flowers. Stepping closer, you reached out for them, the stalks bending towards you. As soon as you touched the blooms, a heady scent infiltrated your nose. Tony inhaled, turning to you and saying, “You touched them and they got their perfume. They were scentless before that.”

You blinked, retracting your hand from the flowers, yet the scent still remained. “They’re gravitating towards you.” He noted, seeing the flowers still bent in your direction. 

“I need to run some tests on you kid.”

You nodded, turning to him and saying, “Anything you need.”

“Come to the lab. I’ll only have a small team look at you. I want this contained from Fury, till we figure out what’s going on.”

His words made sense and you followed him to the lab. Once inside, you saw Dr. Helen Cho send you a shaky smile, two of her assistants readying your bed. Taking a deep breath, you sat down on the bed, extending your arm to Dr. Cho. She pierced your skin with a needle and you watched your blood fill the syringe. What was in there? What made you like this?

She asked you to lie down and you complied, eyes on Tony who sent you a nod of assurance. The bed started to move, going through a machine into a long chamber. You heard Dr. Cho's voice, “(Y/N) lie still. We are going to put you through a few scans. I’ll also be increasing and decreasing the temperature of the chamber, tell me exactly when you start to feel uncomfortable.”

You took another deep breath, feeling the chamber start to grow warmer by the minute. You were sweating yes, but it was not exactly bothering you. You could hear Tony’s hushed whispers, and when you started to finally feel hot you called out to Dr. Cho, “It’s a bit hot now.”

You could see her note something down as the chamber got cooler. This whole thing was getting rather boring now and to pass the time you started to hum away. After a while, you felt the cold nip at your nose, so you called out to Dr. Cho again. The chamber returned to a normal temperature, the bed pulling back out. Tony stood with Dr. Cho, his expression unreadable. 

“We’ll be investigating your blood sample, your brain scans seem fine but-"

“That’s good, right? What’s the problem then?” You interrupted, Tony’s blank face unnerving you.

“Because you started to feel irritated by the heat at 300 Celsius. And the cold bothered you at -200 Celsius. That’s the temperature of liquid nitrogen.” Tony said, hand massaging his creasing temple.

You wanted to faint, but you settled on blinking in rapid confusion. Dr. Cho was trying to keep a neutral expression but you could see the curiosity in her eyes, laced with mild fear. It made you feel like an experiment. Clearly you were further from normal than you thought. 

“This is enough for today. You can go back to the tower. I’ll be observing her samples and I’ll let you know as soon as something comes up.” Dr Cho said and Tony nodded.

You got off the bed gingerly, following him to the quinjet. He was silent, and you assumed he was mad at you. Following him to the pilots bay, you waited for him to take off the vehicle before you whispered, “I’m sorry.”

Immediately, his head snapped to you, his face full of surprise, “Why are you apologising kid?”

“You look angry. I’m sorry for being more than you could handle and causing so much stress. I wish I could fix this.”

“Hey, it’s not your fault kid. We just need to figure out what you are. That too so we can help you hone your abilities. I need you to think of the possibilities of what you are. Maybe an early memory can help, do you recall any hint at your true nature?”

“Well, thing is I seem to have blocked out most of my childhood. I get a few flashes but that’s it. I actually planned on asking Wanda to go through my brain and help me remember.” 

“That could work. Maybe going back to your home could kick start a few memories as well. We’d need to take a holiday.”

“But we just got out of probation for the lack of a better term. There must be so many missions waiting for us.” 

“We’ll figure it out kid. For now, all of this stays between us. Go rest.”

You nodded, getting out of your seat and heading back to your mattress. Dropping onto it, you curled into a foetal position and shut your eyes, blocking out the world. 

~

Landing on the tower roof, you were itching for something to do. You really wanted to distract yourself from today’s revelations. It honestly seemed like whatever entity ruled the earth kept throwing massive curveballs at you just to screw you over. 

Getting off the quinjet, you caught glimpse of the infinity pool Tony had. It was just what you needed. You turned to him, eyebrow raised and he nodded, sending a text to everyone else to join you all on the roof. 

Snapping your fingers so your clothes melted away, you stretched, the constant activity had your muscles tense. In the place of your clothes was a black string two piece, showing off your toned body. Opening your hair, you ruffled it slightly, walking towards the pool and dipping your feet in. You could hear the team’s voices, not turning back to greet them, wanting to avoid explanations of your trip to the Compound for a while. Instead, you slipped into the pool, the cool water lapping at you. 

Allowing yourself to sink to the bottom, you collected your thoughts. Yes, things were going to shit, but you had the team there to help. You could handle this, you had to handle this. Tony said you might have to go back home. Romania- you had wondered what it was like now. You did not know what you dreaded more, going back and seeing everything changed or returning and seeing everything as it was. 

You could hear the team speaking, Steve particularly loud about his complaints of completing the report alone. Logic left you, the stress of the past few days surging through you, you emerged from the pool, flipping your hair so it was out of your face. Getting out, you brushed a stray strand behind your ear, eyes on Steve.

Steve had been summoned onto the roof by Tony, along with the rest of the team apparently. As soon as he arrived, the first thing he asked Tony was about the apparent emergency at the Compound. Tony deftly avoided the question, calling out to Natasha, Wanda and Vision who made their way towards the two. Natasha was in a navy swimsuit, a black scarf tied to her hips like a makeshift skirt, Wanda in a light summer dress. 

Tony had dressed down too, now in a pair of board shorts and a tank. Tony sent Steve a glare and Steve let out a long suffering sigh, taking off his shirt and bunching it up, glad he did not have to change his shorts. He looked around for you, and he thought he could make out someone at the bottom of the pool when Wanda asked him if he finished his report. 

Residual anger at the events of yesterday’s mission rising, he started to complain about the prospect of completing it alone. It had been lengthy, but not something he was unfamiliar with. The fact that he had been proven wrong yesterday is what stuck with him, it gave you something to lord over him. Taking into mind your strained relations with him currently, he would not hold it past you to be petty about it for a while, and he hated looking like an idiot. He heard the water splash, turning around to find himself in heaven. 

You were emerging from the pool, hair flipping perfectly, a few droplets hitting his face. As your torso came into sight, Steve felt his pupils dilate. The bikini stuck out against your skin, and as you walked towards him, he observed the water droplets flowing down your collarbones to your décolletage. He wanted you to always keep this outfit on, it was the most revealing thing he had seen you in. 

You could feel his eyes on you and you quickly gave him a once over. You had never seen him shirtless before, and had you not been livid, you would have licked the expanse of his broad chest. This man was sculpted like a greek statue. You were adequately familiar with the male form, having seen enough male assassins to know Steve was extremely muscular. ‘Focus’ you thought, stopping in front of him. 

Steve could see your expression, you were angry, but lately this emotion in you was triggering lustful feelings in him. You would look so powerful when you were mad, he could feel the energy radiate off you and it was intoxicating. But no, he internally shook himself, he was with Sharon and annoyed at you. It was difficult to focus on the latter when you looked good enough to eat in front of him. “I’m surprised you’re complaining after the stunt you pulled on the roof.” He heard you spit out, the attraction he was feeling towards you seeping away as he noticed your scowl. 

Imitating your expression, he squared his shoulders and said, “I gave him a chance. I don’t regret it.”

You wanted to slap him for being so obstinate, “Of course you don’t. You weren’t the one who got shot because of your stupidity.” 

Steve hesitated, you did have a point. Yet being reasonable was a skill that shot out the window whenever he would argue with you, so he replied, "We can’t all assume the world is terrible because of our circumstances.”

Your eyes narrowed at his words, tone low and venomous as you asked, "What’s that supposed to mean?”

“Just because your life wasn’t ideal, doesn’t mean you get to have a grudge against the world and carry a chip in your shoulder. You can’t use your past to justify your detached behaviour, we’ve all been through difficult things but we got over it and chose to help people. I think it’s high time you get over it too and grow up.” As soon as Steve finished, he regretted his harsh words and the tone he used.

He opened his mouth, about to apologise and take back what he said when he saw your eyes flash with anger. His words cut you deep, and it made you angrier, since he had been at fault on the roof, being absolutely unwilling to admit his mistake. Fury surged through you as you retorted, “Oh yes how difficult your life has been Captain. You volunteered to become a guinea pig for a corrupt government, the experiment worked and now that you had a body people started taking you seriously. Including your British babe. Tragically you never got a chance with her since you turned yourself into an ice cube. But no worries, you’re fucking her niece now, so it seems like you ‘got over it’.”

The team’s eyes popped out of their heads at your words, Wanda audibly gasping. They had not expected you to snap so terribly. You were visibly fuming, your breath coming in short intervals as they turned to Steve. His furious expression said it all, his jaw ticked from being set so hard. It looked like he was trying to stop himself from doing something he regretted. 

Your words had been harsh, hurting him much more than any of your previous fights, maybe since he cared about you and your opinion now. You had also voiced out one of his major guilts, being with Sharon had messed with his conscious and whenever he went to visit Peggy at the hospital he could never look her in the eye properly. All of this was confusing him, especially with Tony’s cryptic mantis talk. 

How did it all go so wrong? It was like you both were back to square one. Still, he searched your face for a sign of regret at your words. He was met with cold eyes, pursed lips and a creased brow. This ticked him off further, his mind racing as he steeled his expression before saying, “You forget your place. I am your superior. Apologise this instant, or else.”

The authority in his voice sent tingles up your spine, but you were not going to apologise when he had not. So you stared at him, a challenge in your eyes, replying, “You’ve let the title get to your head Captain. You are being asinine and it’ll be a cold day in hell before I apologise when it was your fault.” 

The team realised the conversation could turn potentially violent, Natasha gesturing to Tony to break you two apart. He headed towards you, when his phone started to ring. He attended it, going to the edge of the roof as the team watched exasperated. Steve stepped closer to you now, attempting to use his height to intimidate you, making you roll your eyes and step even closer, igniting one of your hands with flames to show him not to test you. “You need an attitude fix. You’re suspended from missions till further notice.”

You scoffed incredulously at his words, the team looking at Steve like he was crazy. “You can’t actually do that-" Started Vision, silenced by a scowl Steve sent his way.

“You know what Captain. Fine. Let’s see how well you fare without me saving your life every two minutes.” You said, wanting to bite his head off.

You both were inches apart, you could see the storm in his eyes, your angered breaths mingling as you both glared at each other. You thought you saw his gaze soften for a second, like he was going to back down, your flames slowly extinguishing. At that exact moment you heard Tony call out to you. Both of you whipped your heads towards him, glares now directed on Tony as you both spat out, “What?”

He walked closer, phone still in hand as he said, “It’s Fury. Something’s come up-"

“She’s not going.” Steve interrupted and you felt the urge to slap a bitch.

“What he said. Captain here has banned me so whatever it is doesn’t concern me. Do tell Fury it was Steve’s idea to have me sit out missions.” You said, tone saccharine as you turned on your heels, about to head down to your room. 

“Wait! It’s Sam, he’s missing. Fury thinks he’s been taken.” You heard Tony say, freezing in your tracks, “He’s called us to the S.H.I.E.L.D base.” 

You barely heard Tony’s words as you faced Steve, expression grave as you said with finality, “I’m going.”

He saw the determination in your eyes, mixed with mild worry and before he could nod, you were already turning away and walking back down. The team stood uncomfortably on the roof, today was supposed to be a relaxing day. Yet Steve and you had another fight, he managed to suspend you and a team member got kidnapped. At Tony’s word, they all headed downstairs to change into more appropriate clothes, Tony sending Steve a scowl as they filed into the elevator. 

You rushed to your room, panic finally setting in as you hurriedly rinsed your body, drying yourself and changing into a pair of leggings and full sleeved shirt. Lacing up your combat boots, you raised a hand to brush your hair when you noticed it was trembling. Your eyes widened, you tried to steady it but to no avail. Your mind raced at the implications, it would be risky to use arrows if the shaking did not stop, you would have to take your daggers and stash a small handgun just in case.

Your hands were still shaking as you stepped into the elevator, pressing a button for the roof. Was it your worry for Sam taking physical symptoms? Or was it your residual panic from what you had seen at the Compound? Still, you could not afford to focus on such feelings, Sam needed you. Back on the roof, you saw the team had arrived except for Natasha. Ignoring Steve completely, you walked to Wanda, starting to talk to her in a low voice when Natasha joined you all. 

Getting into the quinjet, Tony immediately left to fly the aircraft, Vision following him. Natasha was about to come sit next to you when she saw how worried Steve looked. You noticed the hesitation on her face, sending her a small nod and she smiled, stepping over to Steve to ask if he was okay since him and Sam were close. You forced yourself to look away from Steve, turning to Wanda who sent you a sad smile. “Is everything alright? You seem worried.” She asked you gently, almost hesitating to anger you. 

You sighed, wanting to share some of your problems with her as you replied, “Not really. It’s been stressful these past few days and Sam being missing isn’t exactly good news either. I do need your help with something soon, I’ll need you to go through my mind.”

Wanda’s brows furrowed in confusion and when you did not provide further explanation she just nodded, her hand covering yours in comfort. You could tell Tony was flying as fast as he could, you subconsciously made the winds push the aircraft faster. Reaching the same field Sharon had taken you to after the mission at the Roosevelt, Tony landed the jet and you all rushed off towards the barn. When you stepped off the elevator, you saw the floor in a panic. 

Agents and workers were rushing around everywhere, papers in hand, a cacophony of voices that made your head ache. You could see Fury on the other side of the bedlam, looking angrier than ever, his eye twitching and swivelling disappointedly over the room. Natasha, not here for any bullshit, pushed to the front, bringing two fingers to her mouth and sounding out a shrill whistle. It was like the trumpet from the end times, everyone quietened down, the crowd parting like the Red Sea as you all walked to Fury. 

He barely acknowledged you all, turning to the screen and starting to timeline Sam’s appearances. Out of the corner of your eye, you saw Sharon come in, walking towards Steve and wrapping her fingers in his. You observed him stiffen up and pull away his hand and you smiled internally, your words had really hit him where it hurt. Shifting your eyes back to the screen, you watched Fury explain how the last time Sam had been seen was when he had returned from a recon mission. 

Immediately, Steve asked Fury the purpose of the mission and you saw the director sigh, his tone frustrated as he replied, “There had been rumours back in DC about mutant facilities up in Europe. All he had to do was trace them back to the source and figure out their legitimacy. It seems like he found out too much.”

You could tell Fury was hiding something, a glance Natasha sent your way confirmed the fact that she felt it too. “Where in Europe exactly?” Natasha asked, and you saw Fury grimace.

“They said countries around Eastern Europe mostly.”

Natasha and your heads immediately snapped to each other, those countries included Russia and Romania. You felt your blood run cold but you had to ask, “Are they Hydra bases?” 

Fury hesitated, about to speak when Sharon interrupted, “We suspect they are, but that shouldn’t be of any concern-you have to get Sam out. That is all.” 

On any other day, you would have found your minimal tolerance towards Sharon and been passably polite, but after what had been going on, you were in no mood to be accommodating. “There will be a concern blondie, because if there is a Hydra base in my home I will be going there and razing it to the ground.” 

Sharon’s eyes widened at your tone, turning to Steve to reproach you. The super soldier turned to you, his expression weary but he was met with a withering glare. Your eyes were throwing daggers at him and you raised an eyebrow, daring him to speak. Deciding he preferred having his head on his shoulders and not underneath your boots, he turned away again, Sharon’s expression incredulous. 

“You can’t expect us to go on a goose chase through every single country searching for him, it's a bit of a stretch. “ Tony pointed out, and you nodded, he had a valid point. 

“If you’d let me fucking finish. Just because they said Eastern Europe doesn’t mean every single country. We’ve managed to capture one of the men who started the rumours, we have him at the base with us right now.“

You smirked, stretching out your arms and cracking your knuckles. Steve watched confused as did the rest of the team and Fury just nodded at you. Following him down the hallways, you sent a glance back to see the team behind you. Steve still looked confused, Natasha the only one with a twinkle in her eyes. He led you into a room with a glass mirror, you could see the man handcuffed to a desk in the interrogation room on the other side of the mirror, looking exceedingly anxious. 

Steve finally understood what was going on when he saw you look almost adoringly at your to be victim. Turning to the team, you could tell the rest of them still had no idea what was going to happen. You had not done this in a while, and wanted to have some fun. Admiring your nails in the light, you voiced out, “Pick a number between one and five.” 

“Three.” You heard Tony say, tone confused.

“Perfect. Start counting.” You said, winking at the team before letting yourself into the interrogation room. 

The man’s eyes turned to you immediately, his expression changing from worried to curious. His eyes raked over you, glistening with lust as you sauntered towards him. “Hey there, what’s a sweet girl like you doing in a place like this?” 

You wanted to roll your eyes at his words, willing yourself to keep your expression neutral as you sat on the desk next to him, hand reaching out to stroke his cheek. His hands were cuffed but he keened under your touch, and you could feel Steve’s gaze on you from the other side of the mirror. Moving your hand so it was now at the back of his head, you sent the prisoner a smile before slamming his head onto the metal desk as you jumped off it. 

You smirked with satisfaction when you heard a crunch, pulling him up to see his nose bent, blood pouring out onto his face. “What the-" You did not let him finish, slamming his head down again, harder this time. 

Hand now fixed at the back of his head so he could not pull up, you leaned down, lips next to his ear as you hissed, “Where is he? I won’t ask again. Say it loud and clear.”

He struggled against you and you shifted your hand down to his neck, nails piercing his skin as you started to choke him. “He’s in Ruse.” You heard him say, and you pulled away from him. 

You could tell he was telling the truth and you walked out, a smirk on your face. Everyone on the other side looked surprised, and you snapped your fingers to make a tissue appear, wiping away the blood on your hand as you asked, “How much time did it take?” 

“Two minutes, forty nine seconds. That was fucking brutal kid.” Tony said, his voice a bit shaky after what he had just seen. 

Natasha sent you a small nod to acknowledge your good work as you turned to Fury. As if on cue, Sharon spoke up, “How do we know the information is accurate?” 

Turning to her, you rolled your eyes visibly before speaking, “I’m trained to know when someone’s lying, so is Tasha. I know he was being honest.” 

She still looked unconvinced so you walked closer to her, eyes piercing into hers before saying slowly, “Why don’t you ask lover boy? His super hearing would have picked up a change in heartbeat had the prisoner been lying.”

Steve froze at your words, you had never been so openly dismissive towards Sharon. You walking closer and staring her down was a deliberate move on your part to assert your dominance, strengthened by the fact that you had just made a man crack in less than three minutes. The moment he had seen you smile he knew the prisoner would be subject to hell. Watching you saunter in, Steve knew it was when you felt powerful and comfortable, doing something you had been trained to do. 

It was like your whole demeanour would shift, a side of you that you kept repressed would come alive. He would get glimpses of it during missions, that wild spark in your eyes as you took lives- you enjoyed being the best in killing. It was a different side to you compared to how you used to be with him, laughing at his jokes in the lawn and smiling softly at him. When he saw you stroke the prisoner’s cheek, he stiffened, jaw locking. What were you playing at? He felt a deep churning in his stomach, bile rising when he saw the prisoner relish your touch as your heavenly lips curled into a smile. He wanted to rip that man apart, why were you touching him? Why was he reacting in such a way to seeing it happen? 

He had been pulled away from his inner turmoil when he saw you slam the prisoner’s head onto the table, calming considerably when he realised your earlier actions had just been you toying with the prisoners emotions for your pleasure. You were like a lioness with your prey, you knew you were in absolute power in any given situation and it was intoxicating. 

Now you were looking to him, as was Sharon waiting for his response. Sharon was looking incensed at how you had been behaving and she expected Steve to support her. He was in a turmoil, on one hand he was still angry at your earlier words, wanting to side with Sharon to knock you down a peg. On the other hand, your no nonsense expression was intimidating him if he were to be honest with himself, plus he knew the prisoner had not lied. Sam being found as soon as possible was also a motivating factor, and Steve took a deep breath before replying in an even tone, “She’s right. I didn’t feel any signs of him trying to lie.” 

Your self satisfied smirk irked him, Sharon stiffening as you turned on your heel and looked towards Fury. He sent you a nod before saying, “Ruse it is. I’ll be contacting the Bulgarian government for more information, you all have exactly two hours to pack what you need for rescuing Sam. Get back to the Tower immediately and by the time you all board the helicarrier, I’ll have sent you more information. Now get out of my sight.” 

Fury stormed out, already barking out orders on the phone and you took a relaxed breath. You were going to rescue Sam soon. The room was quiet, too quiet, and you turned to see the team’s eyes on Steve and Sharon. The super soldier was being glared at and you walked slowly to stand next to Natasha, wanting a better view of the inevitable argument. 

“What was that?” She snapped, and Steve’s eyebrow creased in confusion. 

“Don’t play dumb. Why did you take her side?” She said, a finger pointed towards you and you tried to control your laughter, Steve and Sharon’s eyes on you. 

“Why are you reacting this way?” Steve asked exasperated. 

“Because you’re different when you’re around her. Earlier she was exceptionally rude and you did nothing. She is your subordinate you are supposed to reproach her when she steps out of line. Even if you ignore those dynamics, the fact is that she talked back to your girlfriend Steve, when I made a valid point. You could have taken my side, I was not wrong.” Sharon said, her tone angrier by the minute, hands moving erratically as she made her point. 

Her words annoyed you, Tony gesturing to Vision who gripped your arm, stopping you from launching yourself at her. You tugged for a second, freeing yourself and leaning back, wanting to see how Steve would react in this situation. 

“Sharon you’re being ridiculous right now, whatever she did helped us figure out how to rescue Sam. Albeit the methods aren’t exactly ethical, it got the job done and quick. We can’t waste any time.” Steve said, his tone pacifying as he massaged his temple, feeling a headache coming on. 

Wanda gestured to the door, trying to get the team to give the two a private moment, only to receive glares from Tony, Natasha and you- there was no way in hell you were missing this. “Fine. Even if I can forget you not siding with me, you have to admit you’ve been acting different. You pulled away from me today, you’ve been pulling away ever since she came. Admit it Steve.” 

He laughed incredulously before saying, “Are you actually having this conversation right now? This is ridiculous, we need to get to Sam.” 

He tried to leave the room, Sharon stepping in front of the door, arms crossed as she said, “Not before you admit it. I deserve to know what is going on, I am your girlfriend.” 

Steve paused, you watched emotions race across his face, curious to see what he would say. While you wanted to acquaint Sharon’s face with the floor, you knew this was not your fight. Steve took a deep breath before replying, “Not anymore. I think we need a break Sharon. Excuse me.” 

He stepped past the blonde whose jaw looked like it would hit the floor in shock. The rest of the team was frozen over what had just happened till they heard Steve call out from a distance. You were surprised at his actions and also a little turned on at the way he had conducted himself. Everyone filtered out, you sending a wink and blowing a kiss to Sharon as you passed her, causing her to gasp. 

Not turning to see her definitely comical expression, you walked to the elevator with the team, getting onto the quinjet. Steve went into the pilot's bay and you all decided to leave him alone for a bit. You were itching to get back to the Tower and pack, assuming it would be a longish trip. You all would have to find the facility and break out Sam. It would not be easy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay I hope you all liked the chapter, I apologise if it is not up to the usual standard, not that I have any heheh. Anyways, please please please comment and tell me how you liked it, believe me when I say they are the only thing keeping me going currently. This quarantine is testing my patience, I am ready to arm my whole family and go out fighting each other gladiator styles. But enough of that, everyone please stay safe and happy. I have a tumblr of the same name, hit me up to talk I promise I am friendly and I send good memes promise.  
See you all next update lovelies, thank you for reading!!


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I’m sorry for disappearing for a while, I genuinely wanted to update sooner but god this quarantine is really killing me. I hope you all are doing okay and are staying safe and hopefully this chapter can be a little form of entertainment in these difficult times.  
Your comments and kudos warm my heart and are genuinely the only thing keeping me going these days, I cannot believe we are about to reach 500 kudos and that so many people like my work, it’s overwhelming sometimes and I hope I don’t disappoint any of you. 
> 
> Note: the song sung by the reader is the ending few lyrics of the song Peggy Gordon-the word ‘womankind’ has been changed to ‘mankind’ and I do not own the song 
> 
> Anyways, I hope you all enjoy this chapter, things are about to reach a resolution.

You knew Steve was flying like a madman when you saw the Tower pull up in half the time it usually took, especially since you had not done anything to make the quinjet go faster. The ride back had been full of whispers, the team not believing what had just happened. 

Unable to help it, you had let out a low chuckle, still surprised that you were the partial cause for Steve’s apparent break from Sharon. You had not known she was so threatened by you. It was interesting; she had always rubbed off you wrong, but you blamed it more on her general personality, not knowing she was jealous. Not that she had anything to be jealous of; Steve and you did not exactly have a stable friendship. 

As Steve was landing, Tony gave you a fist bump and while you rolled your eyes at his immaturity, you sent him a wink right after. You were human after all, and seeing Sharon’s face had been immensely satisfying. 

Jumping off immediately, your rushed to the elevator, not wanting to interact with Steve for now. You both were still in the middle of a fight, and you did not think he would take kindly to you right now especially since Sharon had listed you as the reason for their fight. Unfortunately, the rest of the team filtered in just as the doors were about to close and you pressed the button for your floor, steeling yourself for a confrontation. 

When none came, you peeked at Steve from the corner of your eye. All things considered, he did not look too devastated, just more stressed. “How much do we pack? We don’t know how long we’ll be there.” Wanda asked, breaking the silence.

Tony turned to Steve, seeing if he would answer but when he made no such move, Tony spoke, “For a week just to be safe. Only the essentials, we’ll load up the weapons into the quinjet separately.” 

Everyone got off on their respective floors, you nodding at Natasha in the shared hallway before heading to your room. You wanted to sleep, you felt mentally exhausted with all that had been happening these past few days. Finding a large duffel bag, you started to pack away clothes you felt you would need as well as two of your mission bodysuits. Making a small pouch of toiletries and essentials, you stowed it away, along with a pair of extra boots. As you attempted to zip the bag, you saw your hands still trembling and muttered a curse, finally zipping it closed. 

Despite your lack of motor control, you knew you would need to take a full arsenal for the mission- Hydra was involved and you could not risk it. Making the duffel bag float beside you, you debated on what to weapons to take. You decided on your daggers, the bow and Tony’s special arrows, and two small pistols in case everything else failed. The weapons floated alongside the bag behind you as you stepped onto the elevator, mind preoccupied. 

As if you did not have enough to worry about, now there was a potential that there were Hydra bases in your home. It made your blood boil, an ancient fury coursing through you when you thought of the organisation infiltrating what you thought was heaven on earth and poisoning it. You would have to reach out to a few ‘friends’ to fact check. If it were true, you would make sure hell would rain down on every facility. In fact, now was a good time as any to reach out. 

Locating your phone, you typed in a number, fingers still trembling when you pressed the call button. It rang for a bit and just as you felt they would not pick, you heard a scratchy voice, “Hello?”

“Sledgehammer it’s me, Azrael.” You said, trying to keep your voice from shaking.

“(Y/N) I cannot believe this.” The voice spoke; sounding happier and you could imagine the smile they had.

“I wish I could talk Andrei, but I need information. Find out if there are any Hydra bases in Romania, and if so I need their location.” 

“Done. What do you plan on doing though? I heard you gave up our life and are running with the big boys now. How is our dear Natalia?” The tease in the tone was evident but you knew he had been hurt when he had found out about you leaving everything behind. 

“She is good. We’ll talk about the rest when I see you. I have to go right now.” 

“Take care, know that you can call on me if something happens. White Shadow, Nightingale and Switchblade share the sentiment. I’ll get back to you immediately.”

You ended the call, wiping all traces of it from your phone before exhaling deeply. They were all relics from your past. While Natasha had been like your mentor, you had made other acquaintances back in the Room, as well as contacts in the assassin world. You trusted these people explicitly, having teamed up with them for targets. They called you Azrael, the Angel of Death and you knew they would not betray you. If they did, they were aware you would hunt them down. While they may be on the wrong side of the law, you genuinely liked them. Knowing S.H.I.E.L.D would not be so comfortable with the fact that you had been in contact with them, you made sure your conversation could not be traced as the elevator dinged. 

Getting off, you saw the team near the quinjet, talking about something in low voices. Staying where you were, you signalled to Natasha to come to you, simultaneously making your things float into the jet, placing them with everyone else’s. Natasha walked up to you, eyebrow raised. Leading her to the edge of the roof, sending a quick glance back to ensure the team was occupied, you whispered in Russian, “I talked to Sledgehammer.” 

Natasha’s eyes widened as you continued, “I’ve asked him to find out about the Hydra bases and their locations. If something comes up, I will need you to cover for me while I handle it.” 

She nodded, a small smile appearing on her face as she asked, “How are they?”

“Good. He asked about you.”

Natasha’s smile widened, her eyes glistening over as memories of her time in the Room resurfaced. You knew her thoughts would inevitably shift to him, so you made a small snowflake appear on your palm, blowing on it softly and watching it dance up to her, landing gently on the edge of her nose. She sent you a weak smile, inclining her head to the quinjet. You followed her back, hoping the team had not noticed your little interaction. 

They were blissfully unaware, Tony noticing you and sending you a small nod. Going to stand next to him, you leaned against his shoulder, sending a smile to Wanda. Steve was standing at the edge of the roof and you noticed him looking dour. He was not thinking of jumping off, was he? Tony felt you bristle, following your line of vision and rolling his eyes, gesturing to Natasha who nodded before walking to him. 

“It’s about time. Shouldn’t Fury be calling now?” Asked Wanda, her hand intertwined with Vision’s. 

Tony shrugged and you turned your gaze back to Steve and Natasha. You wanted to check up on Steve to see how he was doing, despite the fact that you were still mad at him. You knew it was not your place currently and this frustrated you even more so you settled on Natasha speaking to him, knowing she would fix things. 

Steve heard someone come near him and while he did not turn to see who it was, he hoped it was you. He did not know what he was going to say to you, or what he expected you to say. He just felt that this gesture would show you still cared, despite everything and wanted to know of he was okay. He knew it was not you when he could not smell roses in the air and he sighed, turning to see a concerned Natasha. 

“Talk to me. What are you feeling right now?” She asked gently, placing a hand on his upper arm. 

“I- I don’t know to be honest. I think I did the right thing, I mean I’m hurt but I’m not miserable. I can’t tell if it’s because I did not love her or because of what everyone said before this.” Steve said, tone laced with confusion and worry. 

“You mean (Y/N) saying those things about Peggy and Sharon?” Natasha asked.

Nodding, Steve continued, “That too, but Tony said something that didn’t sit well with me. He thinks (Y/N) is meant for me and my initial hostility was a defence mechanism because I knew I would fall for her.”

“And did you?” 

Steve saw Natasha’s raised eyebrow, confused at what she was trying to say, “Did I what?”

“Fall for her.” Natasha finished, a small smile on her face. 

Her words took Steve aback, and he blinked slowly, trying to understand what she was implying, what everyone had been implying lately. He knew you were absolutely beautiful, there was no doubt about that, the world agreed with him. But he had seen you tired and covered with blood after missions and still thought you were gorgeous. He enjoyed spending time with you when you were not fighting with him. 

He had also been drawing you lately, this being the reason why he had snatched away his sketch journal from you, not wanting you to see that all his recent works were solely of you. Despite his earlier bias, he knew he could rely on you during missions; you had saved him multiple times, sometimes at personal risk. He relished being in your presence; there was something alluring about you. You would attract every single eye as soon as you stepped into a room, despite your cold exterior people would gravitate towards you, him included.

But did all of this mean he had feelings for you? You were different from the women he had fallen for in the past and he wondered if you were too different. While Peggy and Sharon’s alliances were clear, yours had always been grey to put it lightly. He knew you were capable of love and good, he had seen you go all out for the children in Sabist’s laboratory. But he had also seen you rip out a man’s heart and crush it, seen you smile while torturing people and he knew hate and negativity came easy to you. He had two contrasting opinions about you and while he wanted something to happen between the two of you, wanted to be the one you smiled at, be the one you would lean to, the idea of you saying no held him back. 

You had barely shown him that you enjoyed interacting with him, or felt something for him other than platonic affection, that too mostly contained. His ego stopped him from making the first move, for telling you he felt something, for realizing that his heart palpitating when he saw you meant something deep. What if you would reject him? Him asking could potentially ruin whatever friendship you had with him, so he stayed silent. He was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Natasha clear her throat, an eyebrow raised as she waited for his response. 

Steve struggled to form a sentence, especially since he did not know what he was supposed to say. Every moment he had with you, it had to mean nothing right? You would have said something, told him if you felt something. He was about to respond, when his eyes flickered to you. You were leaning against Tony, laughing softly at something he was saying. Your eyes were sparkling, your mouth upturned gently and you looked at ease. He remembered when you would laugh this way with him, unable to contain your smile whenever he made a joke. He had not noticed that a smile crept onto his own face watching you but Natasha noticed immediately. Shaking her head at him affectionately, she said, “I won’t put words in your mouth, but I think you have.“ 

Steve’s head whipped back to Natasha, eyes wide and expression shocked. Rolling her eyes, she grabbed onto his arm, pulling him with her back to the team as she said, “Come on Captain. We have a mission to take care of. We can figure this out later.”

Steve followed Natasha wordlessly, noticing you stand up straight upon seeing him. He was about to say something to you when he heard Tony’s phone beep. “Everyone, on the quinjet now. Fury’s going to call.” Tony said and you all nodded. 

Filing inside, you all gathered around the seating bay as Tony typed away at a screen, Fury’s hologram popping up. “Listen up. We’ve zeroed in on the tentative area Sam’s going to be held. You all need to listen very carefully now. You all have to take the quinjet and head to this location that I’m sending to Tony. There’s a safe house, you all stay there until I give orders to attack the base. Understood?”

Before anyone could agree, Fury ended the call. Tony offered to fly for the first shift, altering the quinjet’s speed controls since you all would be travelling over a further distance. This left Wanda, Vision, Natasha, Steve and yourself in the seating bay. Vision went to take a seat, Natasha following. You could feel Steve’s eyes on you and you did not turn to face him, worried he would try to talk to you during the flight. 

Instead, you sat cross-legged on the floor, closing your eyes and starting to breathe deeply. Focusing, you made yourself float upwards, starting to meditate and centre your energy. You hoped this would calm you down enough to make your hands stop shaking, as well as help compose yourself. You heard footsteps, cracking one eye open to see Wanda and Natasha on the ground to your sides, imitating the position you were in. Smiling and closing your eyes again, you focused, making them float up to your height. The only thing you could hear was their relaxing exhales, all of your breaths in sync.

You tried to focus, concentrating on your limited past memories. Placing yourself back in the middle of your home, you attempted to trigger some sort of a flashback. You could hear the faint voices of your parents, but their words were too soft to be understood. You strained your ears, forehead creasing as you pushed yourself deeper into your memories. You were almost there; you could feel them close to you. What you did not notice was the pressure you were putting on yourself.

Your eyes snapped open when you felt yourself sway, realising you had floated up much higher, almost touching the ceiling, You knew you were about to lose your balance in a moment, immediately setting down Natasha and Wanda, who looked up to you in confusion. You felt your nose start to bleed, watching the blood hit the floor and your head start to pound. “Ah fuck.” You muttered as your concentration snapped, starting to free-fall.

You expected impact, but felt yourself fall into a strong pair of arms. As your vision cleared, you saw Steve looking down at you, kneeling on the floor, having caught you just in time. He placed you down gently, trying to make eye contact. You sat up, immediately regretting the decision when you felt a sharp stab of pain in your head. Wiping your sleeve over your nose, you made sure the blood was gone before you got up shakily, Steve following.

“Are you okay (Y/N)? What happened?” Wanda asked, clearly worried about what just happened.

You were rattled but you tried to look carefree, shrugging and sending her a smile as you replied, “I just lost my balance, don’t worry about it.”

From the looks on everyone’s face, you knew they did not believe you but you were not in the mood to talk about whatever happened. It worried you immensely; first it was your hands trembling and now you losing focus. What was happening? What had you blocked out so deeply from our memory, and why was it so difficult to access it? You had to find out what it was, you had a feeling it would have an impact on your life, and as much as you wanted to believe it would be positive, your gut said otherwise. Why else would you have blocked it out?

You snapped out of your thoughts when you heard Steve clear his throat. His face was impassive and you knew he would tell you to sit the mission out if you were not feeling well. Before he could speak, you rushed towards the pilot’s bay, avoiding eye contact. Slamming the door closed, you leaned against it, breathing a sigh of relief. Tony glanced over to you from his seat, raising an inquisitive brow and you just rolled your eyes, going to sit down next to him. Snapping your fingers so the door locked, you leaned back in your chair, suddenly feeling very tired.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, keeping his eyes ahead.

“I’ve been trying to tap into my memories since the incident at the Compound, I know there’s something in there that can help us figure out what I am. But it’s been throwing me off, there’s a wall in my mind and I cannot seem to breach it no matter how hard I try. It’s starting to take a toll.”

“I understand that it’s a stressful time-“

“It’s not just stress. Look.” You insisted, interrupting him mid sentence and holding up your hands.

They started to tremble again, no matter how much you tried to keep them steady. Tony turned to you now, attention grabbed as you spoke, “This isn’t the only thing. I was meditating in the back and when I tried to tap into my memories, I lost my balance and fell to the floor. My head is pounding and my nose bled. It’s like I’m falling apart.”

He heard the crack in your voice as you finished speaking, your eyes full of worry. He could see how harried you looked, the past few days had been overwhelming. Anyone else would have cracked already, and while you had powered through to the best of your ability, Tony could see you were tired. You had prominent dark circles, your eyes had lost their usual vivacity and the way you conducted yourself felt forced.

“Stay in here with me. We have a few hours before landing, I want you to sleep till then.” He ordered, his expression leaving no room for debate.

Closing your eyes, you leaned against Tony, resting your head against his shoulder. It did not take long for you to drift off, and he looked down at you. You looked comparatively at ease, but he was worried about you. After everything you had been through, this was becoming your breaking point and it scared him. You were so young, the youngest out of them all and he knew you would burn out eventually if he did not do something. Figuring out what you were and fast seemed like the best option to go with, seeing as it was what caused your current dilemma.

He debated talking to Wanda as well, asking her to sift through your mind. While you felt it essential to recover your suppressed memories, Tony was not so sure. He was tempted to have Wanda remove them completely and make you forget ever thinking about wanting to retrieve them. It would be a deep betrayal, but your safety mattered more.

Another thorn at your side was Steve, and Tony had the genuine urge to ship you both off to one of his islands until you both acknowledged whatever it was between the two of you. He knew Steve was bull-headed, bordering on asinine but you were no better. He had honestly expected the two of you to be together by now but it seemed improbable to say the least. His previous qualms about intervening were all but gone, if you both did not figure things out soon, Tony was going to get you both together as soon as everyone landed back on Stark Tower. For now, he was content listening to you as you slept, Pepper’s words ringing in his ears. She had observed the way he interacted with you; being absolutely charmed with you herself. That night she had held him close and whispered, “If we ever have a child, I want it to be like her.”

Tony knew he had to protect you, at whatever cost. You were family now, and there was no way he was going to see you hurt. He felt you shift, worried he had woken you up and he froze. You adjusted your position, eyes still closed and breathing even, and he sighed in relief. Your expression was worried; he could only guess what you were dreaming about, still grateful you were resting.

You found yourself back home, in the middle of your clearing. This was where you would spend all day as a child, and you stood up, taking in your surroundings with surprise. The sun felt warm against your skin, the grass soft, and the flowers brushed against you. You looked down to see yourself in a white linen bardot dress, the flowing material making a long train that dragged behind you as you walked. You started to walk, heading to the waterfall nearby. Once you reached it, you glanced at your reflection in the water, seeing a golden circlet of twisted flowers resting atop your head. Surprised, you reached for it when you heard the wind call out your name.

Confused, you turned to see a gust of wind coming straight towards you, rustling the flowers gently before it went past you, making your hair fly. You heard it say, “Your love approaches, Princess.”

You wanted to ask what the wind meant, why was it calling you a princess? And what love was it talking about? In fact why was it talking at all? You could see someone emerge into the clearing, their golden hair like an angelic halo. As they stepped closer, you saw those familiar cerulean eyes, the lips curved into a smile as Steve held his hand out to you. “What the fuck!” Your eyes snapped open, head whirling around in panic to see where you were.

You caught a glimpse of Tony looking at you worried, one hand steering the quinjet as he held up the other in surrender. You were in the quinjet, going for a mission. You were most definitely not home. Looking down you saw your black shirt; hand going up to your forehead, not feeling any jewellery and you breathed a sigh of relief. Out of all the odd dreams you had, this one took the cake. What hallucinogenic substances did you partake in that led to dreaming this. Why were you in a dress? Why was there a crown on you? Why was the wind speaking to you like you were Pocahontas? Why did the dream say Steve was your love? Sure you had feelings for him, but was it love? Clearly the dream thought so.

You shuddered, vowing never to sleep again as you got up to stretch and take a walk. One glance at the screen showed that you were about to reach your destination in a few minutes and you took a deep breath. It was time to get serious now; you had to save your friend.

~

Steve had not been a confused man, not until he met you at least. Sure, he was the man out of time and had felt displaced for the first few months of being unfrozen. But he had accepted that he would always feel left out amongst people in the crowd and that it would remain this way the rest of his life. This acceptance came with accepting that he would never find a perfect companion for him, nobody could apparently match up to Peggy, and any partner he may have potentially, he would probably outlive. He still did not know the extent of the serum’s effects on him, and he did not want to risk losing someone he loved again.

Till he met Sharon and knew she was Peggy’s relative. That was when he took a chance, wanting any sort of connection to Peggy but now that relationship felt wrong too. Then there was you. You had caught his eye as soon as he saw you. You were different, you fought back and you made him feel simultaneously light-hearted and intimidated.

He hated being so ambivalent about you. He hated that he could never pin down what you were feeling, what you were thinking, what your motivations were. When he thought he had figured you out, you would go do something and confuse him all over again. He had pinned you as a typical killer till he saw you look out for all the children held captive by Sabist. He then labelled you as a bright and happy individual after interacting with you in the Compound during the exile. Then he saw you rip out a man’s heart from his chest and crush it.

You kept him guessing, and he hated not knowing you. He knew you had read him well, which is why you knew what would hurt him the most. You knew just what to say when you fought with him, you would spit venom, your vitriol cutting him deeper than any blade ever could.

The fight with Sharon had put a few things into perspective, as had the talk with Natasha. Clearly, others saw something between you two, even if Steve had at first not noticed them, and then later denied them. He now could somewhat accept that what he felt for you was not what he felt for his other female friends. He also knew it would be difficult swaying Sharon on her views and Steve debated whether the effort was worth it. Was Sharon worth it? There was also the fact that if it happened with her, it could happen with any other girl he started to date. They might also feel uncomfortable about the way he interacted with you, and this essentially left him fucked. His head hurt, and he watched you avoiding his gaze and instead starting to meditate.

He wanted to talk to you, about what he was not sure but he was tired of the fighting and not talking to each other. He enjoyed your company too much, and he hated himself for always ending up saying the wrong things around you. He knew you both clashed a lot, but he also knew you were one of the easiest people to talk to. He had sat on the Compound lawn and narrated so many stories of his childhood and the time before he went into the ice, things he had never told anyone before. You in turn had listened attentively, offering sage advice when needed, and if you did not know what to say, you were ready with a comforting hand to the shoulder and a smile.

He had decided he would try to talk to you as soon as he got the chance, to figure out what he felt. He knew talking to you would make the missing pieces fall into place. He saw Natasha and Wanda join you up in the air, leaning forward in his seat to observe you more closely. Your expression looked too conflicted for someone trying to meditate, like you were having a deep internal conflict. His eyes followed you as you floated up higher, now on edge when he saw you sway in the air, like you were losing focus. When he saw the blood fall as your eyes opened, he knew something was wrong and made to get out of his seat.

He was just in time too, as you started to fall to the ground. Rushing forward, he caught you just in time, still not getting over how perfectly you fit into his arms. He could feel the distress coming off you, your heartbeat was erratic and it worried him though he tried not to show it. As you sat up, he saw you wince in pain and he knew you were not well. He was going to make you sit this mission out, orders be damned. You tried to brush off Wanda’s concerns but Steve could see right through it, he knew you were rattled. You could get hurt, and he was not willing to let that happen. While he was aware making you sit this mission out would leave the team much weaker, he was ready to take that risk.

He opened his mouth, about to give the order when you rushed into the pilot’s bay, the lock clicking behind you. He rolled his eyes at your immaturity; you were clearly avoiding any sort of confrontation. He had seen your smirk when he told Sharon about the break, and the slight panic in your eyes when you felt he would try to talk to you. Sighing, Steve got back to his seat, hoping that talking to Tony would put some sense into you.

~

Walking back to the seating bay, you immediately had all eyes on you. “We’re about to reach.” You said, trying to keep your voice steady and looking everywhere but at Steve.

There was no way you were facing him, not after that dream. “Are you feeling better sestra?” Natasha asked, walking up to you and placing a hand on your cheek.

She hissed immediately at the low temperature and you nodded, “I’m fine. Don’t worry Tasha.”

She still looked unconvinced so you shoved her shoulder playfully and teased, “I feel perfect. I can probably snap all your necks right now without breaking sweat.”

Natasha rolled her eyes at your words while Steve stiffened. ‘Good going Captain! This is the woman you like’ he thought, berating himself before standing up abruptly when he realised he had basically admitted to feeling something for you. His eyes were wide, his heart was about to beat out of his chest and he turned to you. You had felt Steve stir and automatically your gaze had shifted to him when he sprung up.

The man looked like he was having a stroke, his face was as red as a beet and he turned to you. You froze, your dream replaying in your mind. He had reached out for you; the wind had said you loved him. You both looked like deer caught in headlights, staring at each other, as you both got redder by the minute.

Natasha, Wanda and Vision kept shifting their gaze from Steve to you, and then back to Steve. It was like you both were having simultaneous aneurisms, and while it was comical to observe, Natasha was worried one of you might burst a vein.

For once, Tony arrived at the right time, slamming open the door and hollering, “We’ve arrived bitches!”

Every eye turned to him, you both tearing your gaze away from each other to stare blankly at Tony. “What did I say?” He asked, ever the skilful room reader.

“Nothing. Good timing. Let’s get off.” Natasha said, taking charge and walking towards the pile of bags, picking up her own.

Wanda and you followed suit, making your things float at your sides as Tony opened the door. Vision was the first to get off, Wanda following. You and Natasha got off together, Tony next with Steve taking up the rear. Getting off, you took in your surroundings. You seemed to be in a dense forest, a wooden cabin in front of you. You blinked once, then twice. Was this a joke? Did Fury expect you all to camp out in that tiny cabin as you waited for his orders?

Tony had turned on the invisibility setting for the Quinjet, turning to see the cabin for the first time, letting out an audible groan. Steve stepped past everyone, opening the door and disappearing inside. You waited for Natasha to start walking and followed her, not wanting to be alone with Steve. You had been tempted to run into his arms in the quinjet, you now mentally slapped yourself for that moment of weakness. The inside was nicer than you expected, the dark wood and deep mustard furniture giving it a homey vibe. There was only one room, which you all were standing in, and it was not big enough for all of you. You saw a small staircase, walking up and seeing a small attic with a mattress on it, barely big enough to fit two people and you had to crouch in the room, the sloping ceiling making it difficult to stand.

Sighing, you went back downstairs, eyes widening when you saw how crowded the room looked with everyone sitting down on the couches, bags scattered everywhere. “Any luck upstairs?” Vision asked and you shook your head no.

“There’s only one mattress up there.”

You heard the team groan before muttering, “I think I can try to help.”

Walking up the bags, you debated what to do. “Can’t we keep them in the quinjet?” Wanda asked, and you noticed her voice sounding shaky.

Before you could respond, you heard Steve say, “It’ll be a risk, we’re supposed to stay put. Going outside to fetch our things from the bags every few minutes is not ideal.”

Concentrating, you shrunk the bags into the size of tennis balls, turning to the team and saying, “I’ve made them small. It’s a temporary solution but it’s better than nothing. Just tell me when you need something and I’ll return them back to their normal size.”

The team nodded, muttering their thanks when you caught Wanda’s eye. She was clearly panicking, and you walked to her, taking her hand silently and leading her upstairs. There you sat her down on the mattress, taking a seat next to her before asking, “Tell me what’s wrong. Don’t lie.”

She broke down, tears streaming down her face as she hugged you tightly. You stroked her hair, shushing her gently as you coaxed her to speak. “It’s this place. It reminds me so much of home. I keep thinking of my parents, of Pietro. I lost them and now I’m worried I’ll lose you all in a place like this. And you aren’t doing well either, I know something is bothering you and I just don’t want to lose any of you. You all are the only family I have left.”

She kept stuttering because of her tears and your heart broke at seeing Wanda like this. “I understand your concerns, but I implore you not to worry about me. I just need to remember a few things from my childhood, and I will need your help tapping into my brain. That’s all. Otherwise I am absolutely fine. For now, I need you to rest, okay? Sleep and centre yourself.”

As you spoke, you concentrated, having your magic and energy flow through you to Wanda, hoping it would calm her down and make her drowsy. It worked, you saw her yawning and nodding and you lay her down on the mattress, brushing the hair away from her forehead and whispering, “I’ll send Vision up.”

Getting up, you walked downstairs, sitting down on the couch next to Natasha, eyes on Vision as you said, “She needs you. Go be with her.”

He nodded, immediately rushing upstairs and you sighed, leaning back against the couch, your back cramped. “Is everything okay?” You heard Tony ask and you cracked an eye open as you replied, “She needed to rest and calm down. She needs a bed the most, us four will have to adjust here.”

“Ugh fuck me.” Tony muttered, and you sat up, a smirk on your face.

“You know, if a certain billionaire has painful bones because of their old age, I could conjure up a small mattress for them.” You teased.

Tony huffed in response, lying down completely on his couch, turning his back to you all as a snub. You smirked at his behaviour, rolling your eyes and turning to see Natasha already dozing off, her legs tucked under her, head against the armrest. There were three couches, Tony occupied one and Steve was occupying the other, and you glanced to him. He was lying down, apparently asleep, facing the ceiling. You had slept on the way, and you knew Natasha needed to rest. Getting up, you adjusted Natasha so that her legs spread out and she was more comfortable. Smiling softly, you snapped your fingers; a pile of blankets appearing in your arms. Laying one onto Natasha, you saw her burrow into it before walking up to Tony and putting one on him too. Turning to Steve, you hesitated, before taking a deep breath and walking to him.

He was asleep; it was not like he could talk to you. Using this to comfort yourself, you stood next to him, gently covering him with it. Stepping back, you headed to the stairs with the last one. Trying to be as quiet as possible, you climbed up the stairs. Immediately, Vision’s head snapped in your direction, ready to defend before you raised your hands in a gesture of peace. He calmed when he saw it was you and you walked towards him.

As you got closer, you saw Wanda asleep, having peeled off most her layers, in a maroon tank top and her underwear now, hanging on to Vision’s torso for dear life. His arm was wrapped around her protectively, and he made to sit up, but you shook your head, signalling for him to stay. Covering Wanda with the blanket, you saw how he fussed over her sleeping form, adjusting it so she was properly covered.

Your heart ached seeing the love he had for her, a small part of you wishing someone would care for you like that. “She’s worried.” He whispered and you nodded in agreement.

“I’ve done what I can to calm her down, I promise I won’t let anything happen to her.” You replied sincerely and Vision nodded, agreeing with your words.

Turning, you walked back down the stairs, sending a glance back to see him kiss Wanda’s head gently. Sighing, a wistful smile appearing on your face, you looked around the room. The team was asleep, and you felt loneliness stab your heart. You were not currently sleepy, not that there was any space for you to rest. You were not risking the attempt to float and sleep mid-air, with the way your powers were acting up, you knew you would end up falling on someone.

Stretching, you tried to make minimal noise as you walked to the door, stepping outside into the cold night air. Inhaling deeply, you took in the scent of the trees. It was almost like you were back home. Almost. The moonlight filtered in through the canopy of trees, illuminating a few metres ahead of you. Instead of walking out to explore, you sat down onto the porch, content to sit there and close your eyes. Focusing on all your other senses, you tried to imagine that you were back home. It was almost peaceful and you sighed, remembering a song your father would sing sometimes. Your heart ached at the memory and you took a deep breath, before starting to sing softly.

Steve had been on the brink of a deep slumber when he heard a melodic voice. It sounded vaguely familiar and he opened his eyes, sitting up from the couch and seeing a blanket covering him. His eyes searched the room; you were not there, blankets covering Tony and Natasha’s sleeping forms. This was his chance to talk to you. Getting up, he walked to the door; opening it silently and praying you had not heard him. Now that he was close to you, he could finally catch the lyrics, your voice clear and sweet.

“I wished I was in a lonesome valley  
Where mankind cannot be found  
And the pretty little birds do change their voices  
And every moment a different sound

I wish I was away in Ingo  
Far away across the briny sea  
Sailing over deepest water  
Where love nor care never trouble me”

The door creaked and you stopped singing, your eyes snapping open, turning around and your heart freezing when you saw Steve standing there. He walked up to you, taking a seat next to you and you shifted away from him slightly, worried you may not be able to control yourself with his proximity.

He noticed you shift away, this action hurting him as he thought you did not want to be near him. Still, he had to talk to you. Clearing his throat, he spoke, “I hope you are feeling okay.”

Nodding, you curled your hands up into fists, digging your nails into your flesh to calm yourself as you replied, “I’m much better now. Just didn’t feel like sleeping.”

Steve nodded to acknowledge your response, leaning back, resting his palms on the floor as he took in his surroundings. The forest was peaceful; the occasional rustle of the leaves the only sound he could hear, the moonlight illuminating your face so it looked iridescent. You reminded him of the moon sometimes, mysterious and beautiful, dark and distant with a unique allure. He wanted to tell you this, but he settled on saying, “It’s a beautiful night.”

You nodded, looking straight ahead, feeling his eyes on you as you let out a shaky breath. Him being so close was making your heart beat faster, your emotions already muddled with the dream and seeing Vision take care of Wanda, your heart wanting the same for yourself. You were afraid you might throw yourself at Steve and it took all your willpower not to look at him. You knew if you saw him, illuminated by the pale moonlight, his eyes looking silver, your resolve would break and you would end up kissing him.

So instead, you looked straight ahead, trying to control your breath and hoping he could not hear your heart as it tried to hammer its way out of your chest and into his hands.

His crinkled his forehead in confusion at your lack of verbal response, trying again, “I didn’t know you could sing.”

As he said this, he leaned forward and you inhaled sharply, he was inches away from you now. Oh god, you needed him to get away or he would hear the tell tale sound of an erratic heartbeat, so you said the first thing that came to your mind, “Yes, well you could fill a book with all the things you don’t know about me.”

You gasped as the words left your mouth, desperation making your tone harsher than you had intended. You still refused to face him, and you felt him stiffen next to you.

He had been trying to talk to you, but your response clearly showed that you wanted nothing to do with him currently, as well as reminding him that you did not think you both were close. What hurt more was the fact that you were right, he did not know enough about you despite all the times you had talked to each other. Why did he ever think you would reciprocate any feelings he might have? You could not even stand to look at him right now. He stood up, heading to the door. Opening it, he paused, looking over his shoulder and saying curtly, “You’re right. I’m sorry for coming out here.”

Heading inside, he did not care how loudly the door slammed, laying down on the couch and throwing away the blanket you had put on him, shutting his eyes and drifting away, starting to dream about your hypnotic voice despite not wanting to.

You heard his harsh tone, heard the door slam and you winced, finally turning around and breaking down. Tears started running down your cheeks as you shook with silent sobs. Why did this all have to be so difficult? Your chest hurt, the pain of his harsh behaviour affecting you more than you expected. Oh god, you really did love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thankyouu so much for reading the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it! Please let me know what you think of it in the comments below, I love hearing from all of you! Will send virtual hugs to whoever can guess what the reader is cause nobody’s figured it out yet ;). 
> 
> Crown - (imagine it without pearls hehe) https://i.pinimg.com/236x/c8/f6/4d/c8f64df80ad87a2aa2e4b6b648668b6d--wedding-hair-accessories-phone-accessories.jpg
> 
> Anyways, everyone wash your hands and stay at home, stay safe and stay healthy. I love you all and hope you all are doing perfect. Sending out all my love. I have a tumblr of the same name, hit me up for lame memes and shitty humour. Anyways, see you next update lovelies!


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I'm back with a fairly quick update, which I am slightly proud of. Anyways, I am so happy that the story has crossed 500 kudos, all of you are such angels and I am so happy for all the appreciation. Your comments and kudos fill me with joy and keep me afloat during this difficult time. I hope you all stay safe and healthy, and I hope you all like the chapter. Things have taken a turn ;)  
Enjoy!

After crying to yourself till you saw the sun about to rise, you got up, dusting yourself and wiping away the tears from your face. Taking a deep breath you steeled yourself, opening the door and glancing inside. Everyone was asleep and you stepped in, trying to make minimal noise. Natasha was in deep slumber, Tony spread eagled over the couch, tangled up in the blanket. Steve was rigid, eyes shut and body straight like a plank, your blanket discarded on the floor. You did not expect any less, yet it still hurt. 

Turning away, you walked to the stairs, climbing up to check on Vision and Wanda. You could hear her low breaths, knowing she was still asleep. Loneliness stabbed your heart and you sat down at the base of the stairs, not knowing what to do. It was like you stuck out in the team, there was no place for you. On any other day, the logical part of your brain would have refuted the thoughts of your inner saboteur, but after everything that had been happening, you were tired. 

Did the team really need someone like you? They were good to the core, ready to put everything on the line to save the day, but were you like that? 

You were a killer; you had been trained to be a killer. Even now, when you took someone’s life, there was no remorse. Heroes were supposed to be compassionate, ready to defend the weak. As much as you hated to admit, Sharon fit that stereotype more than you did. God, you were so wrong for Steve. He deserved the perfect partner, and you were not it. Feeling your eyes tear up, you made your decision. As soon as the mission ended and you all returned, you were going to talk to Sharon and clear away her misgivings so that her and Steve could be happy. 

You had read that love was about sacrifice, and you knew you would have to put your feelings aside so that Steve could be happy. He would be with Sharon, the ideal agent and woman. They would have perfect blonde children and spend their lives saving the world and having rousing discussions on liberty and justice. You could not give him that perfect family, be the perfect wife. Hell, you did not know if you wanted a family. You were not even twenty-two yet; he deserved someone stable who did not think of ways to kill people as soon as she met them. 

Your head felt heavy from all these thoughts so you leaned back, resting against the stairs. It was uncomfortable but you did not exactly have a choice. Your eyes started to drift shut and you hoped you would have a dreamless sleep, unable to bare any other sort of emotional revelation. 

Steve’s eyes snapped open, his dream having been shocking. He had dreamt of you dancing in the middle of a field of flowers. You twirled, singing some ancient song that the breeze carried to his ears. He walked to you, reaching out as you stopped twirling, facing him and starting to smile. As soon as he felt he was about to touch you, you disappeared, your laugh still ringing in his ears. 

He sat up, head ringing. What did it mean? He got off the couch, wanting to stretch his legs when he saw you asleep on the steps. Walking towards you, he noticed your horrified expression. You must be having a bad dream. He wanted to shake you awake, hold you close and tell you it would all be okay, but you had not wanted to be near him. It was not his place. Still, he could not leave you there. Bending down, he picked up your sleeping form bridal style, carrying you over to the couch he had been occupying. Laying you down, he stood over you for a moment. You shifted; hair falling over your face and Steve reached out, about to brush it away, his hand stopping just before he touched you. 

Curling his hand into a fist, he pulled away, walking outside and deciding to train for a bit. It would be good to clear his head after everything that had happened. The morning air was crisp and cold, and Steve stretched before dropping to the ground and starting one-armed push-ups. He switched arms, enjoying the stimulation and the eventual burn he started to feel in his biceps. Springing up, he was about to start lunges when he heard the door open. Turning, he saw Tony standing there looking worse for wear. 

Rubbing his eyes, he barely grunted in acknowledgement when Steve called out. “I would sell my soul for a cup of coffee right now.” He muttered, wearily watching Steve as he continued his workout. 

“Has Fury called?” Steve asked.

“He should be. I’m actually looking forward to the Hydra agents; anything is better compared to this fucking cabin.” Tony spat out, pure disgust on his face. 

“Should we start waking everyone up?” Steve asked and Tony nodded, already turning to head inside. 

Steve lingered outside, knowing Tony would handle it. He knew it was best that you both avoided each other for now and as much as he wanted to see you, he stopped himself. 

Tony walked straight to Natasha, shaking her awake without remorse. He was having a bad morning and he wanted to make everyone else suffer too. Natasha’s eyes snapped open, bleary for a second before focusing on Tony and sending him a glare. He just shrugged in response, walking to your sleeping form. Hesitating now, he saw how worried you looked and sighed, knowing you were troubled. 

His earlier debate swam in his mind, was he willing to ask Wanda to erase your memories permanently? For now, he knew he had to be there for you. He placed a gentle hand on your shoulder and your eyes fluttered open. You looked like you had been crying, and you sat up confused. How did you get onto the couch? The blanket gathered on your lap and you realised you were on Steve’s couch. He had put you there. 

Your heart ached, not noticing Tony trying to get your attention. “(Y/N) are you okay?” He asked and your gaze snapped up to his concerned expression. 

You wanted to lie and say you were, but you shook your head, feeling the tears brimming. Tony saw that you were about to cry, panicking immediately and signalling to Natasha, who rushed to you. They both sat down on either side of you, Natasha stroking your hair gently as Tony asked, “What’s wrong kid? Talk to me please.” 

“I- I love him.” You whispered, now openly crying, wrapping your arms around Natasha and burying your head into her shoulder. 

Both Natasha and Tony were shocked, not from your confession but from your reaction, and Natasha started to shush you gently, Tony hesitating for a moment before starting to pat your back comfortingly. 

You had never expected to cry, especially over a man, but it felt good to be held as you let out your feelings. Finally when you felt a bit better, you pulled away from Natasha, wiping your tears and letting out a long, shaky breath. “I’ll go wake up Wanda and Vision.” You offered, about to get up from the couch when you felt Tony grab your arm.

“I’ll go sestra. Stay here.” Natasha offered, standing up and placing a kiss on your head before disappearing upstairs. 

Turning to Tony, you sent him a weak smile. He titled his head, opening his arms and you gratefully hugged him, shutting your eyes and taking in his comforting scent. “Walk me through what you’re feeling right now.” You heard him say and you sighed. 

“It’s just ridiculous. I’m not supposed to fall for anyone, least of all him. He’s literally almost killed me once. We are total opposites, and he can do so much better. And yet the heart is foolish. It does not listen to reason.” 

“Okay let me just stop your right there. You both are more alike than you think. Stubborn to the fucking core, strong, independent and you both have a good heart.” 

You pulled away from Tony, sending him an incredulous look at his words but he continued, “And besides, he would be so lucky to have you. Look at you kid, you’re perfect.” 

You smiled; it was rare that Tony was so serious and sincere. “Thank you.” You whispered, kissing his cheek before getting up. 

“Anytime kid. We’ll talk about this in detail after the mission, don’t worry.” He said and you nodded, turning to see Wanda and Vision come down the stairs, followed by Natasha.

At the same time, Steve walked into the cabin, seeing everyone awake and sending a curt nod. You walked towards the bags; concentrating and making them all grow back to their regular size, knowing the team would soon need them. Tony’s phone started to beep and he clicked on it, making Fury’s hologram appear. 

“I’m sending you the coordinates right now. We have no time to waste, I want you all to extract Agent Wilson and destroy the facility. Shoot to kill. I expect you all back home by tomorrow.” 

Without another word, he ended the call, leaving you all on edge. “This is it everyone, suit up.” Steve called out. 

You snapped your fingers, making everyone’s clothes shift away, their suits in place. Not waiting for any orders, you made the all bags float behind you, walking outside. Tony followed, tapping away at his screen and removing the invisibility cloaking on the quinjet, stepping inside. 

You followed, dumping the bags in a corner and starting to sift through your weapons. The rest of the team got on, Tony walking to the pilot’s bay and starting take-off. Emerging soon after, the jet on autopilot, he called out, “We’ll reach in five minutes if I speed up, and I want you all to be prepared. Steve will brief you on the plan.” 

Moving away from the weapons, you joined the team, reluctantly turning your gaze to Steve as he made a hologram of the facility exterior appear, starting to speak. You could not help but notice the building look similar to the one you had spotted in Steve’s files, and this caught your attention but you had to focus on what he was saying. “We don’t know what’s inside so it’s best to go in with a full arsenal. Since this is Hydra, we can expect a stronger opponent, and so teams have been prepared accordingly. Natasha you’re with (Y/N) and me, Wanda with Vision and Tony. We each take one half of the facility and try to locate Sam as soon as possible. The main priority will be getting him to safety, we don’t know what condition he’ll be in.” 

You could hear the concern in Steve’s voice and you could not help but mirror it. You hoped against hope that Sam was okay, despite the odds. “And when that’s done, I’ll make sure the facility is destroyed.” Tony said.

Breaking away from the group, you followed Natasha back to the weapons pile. You saw her strap on her batons, hooking up her pistols and their bullets. Hooking on the bow and quiver, you turned to your daggers. Debating for a second, you snapped your fingers, making a sai appear alongside your daggers, strapping them all on. Picking up your pistols, you walked towards Wanda. She watched you approach, sending you a small smile. Placing one pistol into the leather holster on your thigh, you handed the second to Wanda. 

She looked at the weapon with worry, hesitating to take it until you said, “Just in case.” 

Relenting, she took it, tucking it away and sending you a weak smile. Now walking to Steve, you saw him hunched over his shield, wearing his helmet. Clearing your throat, you waited for him to rise and face you, thankful that the helmet covered most of his face. Unhooking one of your regular daggers, you handed it to Steve wordlessly. He did not protest this time, taking it and sending you a nod. 

You wanted to say something to him, but you turned, taking a deep breath and checking your hands. They were trembling, but only slightly. You saw Tony walk around, handing everyone a protein bar and you realised how long it had been since you all had a proper meal. Taking it thankfully, you opened the wrapper, about to take a bite when you heard your phone ring. 

The team’s heads whipped to you, and you rushed to your bag, fishing it out. Looking at the number, your blood ran cold, it was Andrei. “We are landing in a minute (Y/N), who is it?” Tony asked, slight annoyance in his tone.

Holding up a finger, signalling for everyone to be quiet you floated to one corner of the quinjet, as far away from the team as possible, attending the call. “Azrael, I have the information you needed.”

“Speak.” You whispered in Russian, not wanting to take any chances. 

“Currently, there is no facility in Romania,” you heard him say and breathed a sigh of relief, before he continued, “there are multiple ones in Russia, but only one is of importance. It is the most remote one, in the Ural Mountains and the most heavily guarded.”

You wanted to ask more when you heard Steve call out, “Thirty seconds (Y/N).” 

“I’ll get back to you soon.” You muttered, ending the call and rushing back to the team.

Everyone except Natasha had a question in their eyes but you avoided their gaze, keeping your phone away and cracking your knuckles. The anticipation was making you antsy; you wanted to get the mission over with already. You heard a series of beeps, knowing you had reached your destination. Like the Sabist mission, you all would leave the quinjet hovering and land onto the roof. 

As the hatch opened, the wind rushing in, your eyes widened at the sheer size of the facility. Slate grey, it looked like a medieval prison and reminded you too much of the Room. Thankfully the quinjet had its cloaking mechanism in place or you all would have been shot down immediately. Tony suited up, about to take off when you saw movement on the roof. Grabbing onto his arm, you shook your head. “There’s sentries on the roof. I’ll handle them.” You called out, removing your bow and notching an arrow. 

Taking aim, you watched your arrow sail through the air and pierce a man’s skull. As he dropped dead, the others on the roof rushed to him and you immediately started to shoot more, bringing them all down, not wanting to give them enough time to alert everyone inside. When they were all dead, you hooked the bow back on. Tony nodded at you, grabbing onto Steve and flying out, Vision hand in hand with Wanda. Taking Natasha’s arm, you jumped out, closing your eyes and enjoying the adrenaline rush. 

Focusing, you made the winds carry you both down to the roof, dropping you both on your feet. Rushing to the middle of the roof where the team stood, you pressed the button on the quiver, the arrows removing themselves from the corpses and floating back into the quiver. Tony gestured for you all to stand back, aiming his energy blast to the ground and firing. 

The concrete crumbled away, creating an opening for you all. Tony and Steve dropped in immediately, Vision and Wanda following. You unstrapped your daggers, Natasha getting her batons ready before you dropped inside. The alarms had already started to blare and you cursed. The team turned on their comms, Tony, Vision and Wanda rushing to their assigned side of the facility. 

You were thankful that Natasha was with you since you would not have to worry about her. Steve took the lead and you all started to walk down the hallway, ready for anything. You kept glancing back, making sure nobody could take you all by surprise. Suddenly, you heard footsteps and froze. Steve stopped walking, turning to you, letting you know he heard them too. They started to get closer and your grip on your weapons tightened, sending one glance to Natasha to make sure she was okay. She sent you a reassuring smile, just as you saw men start to appear from both ends of the hallway. Their black uniforms and faceless masks made you come upon a cold realisation; the simulation figures you would fight in the Compound were designed after Hydra agents. You counted at least twenty-five on each side, all armed and you felt the adrenaline coursing through your veins. 

Without a warning, they started to fire and you acted quick, raising up your arms and crossing them, forming an energy shield. The bullets ricocheted off the blue energy and you slowly started to step forward, making sure to keep the shield up. Sending a glance back, you saw Steve effectively covering Natasha and himself from the shower of bullets. Knowing she was in good hands, you turned back ahead. As soon as you got to a swiping distance, their shots stopped and they started to attack. Pushing the shield forward, you saw it hit the first line of agents, throwing them off their balance. This gave you enough time to start attacking. 

The combination of your Scottish dirk with the sai was efficient; the former good for slashing and cutting, the latter perfect for stabbing and precise cuts. Steve had been right, these agents were much more skilled than regular guards and you caught yourself smiling. Finally, you would not be bored. They were coming at you relentlessly and you dodged their hits, slashing at their limbs, using your sai to stab through their hearts. Sending a roundhouse kick to an approaching agent’s head, you saw him drop to the ground, throwing your daggers at another agent, watching one embed itself in his skull, the sai piercing his heart. 

There were about ten agents still left and you unstrapped your pistol, attempting an experimental shot, seeing it bounce off their suits. You muttered a curse, and this gave them enough time to rush towards you, an agent sending a punch to your jaw. The collision did not hurt as much the fact that you had given him a window of opportunity. You knew the hit had split your lip, you could taste the blood and you smirked, gaze shifting to the agent who attacked you. He hesitated, and though you could not see his face you knew it was full of fear upon seeing your demonic expression. 

You flicked your wrist, multiple icicles forming, flying and piercing the agent’s flesh, pinning him to the wall as he twitched for a second before becoming limp. Turning to the remaining agents, you ignited your hands, rushing towards them. Throwing fireballs at them, you watched them writhe before you twisted your fingers, making them float up. Curling your hands into fists, you heard their bones snap and you dropped their limp bodies to the ground, snapping your fingers and having your daggers float back to you. Turning, you saw Steve and Natasha finishing off the last few agents and you ran to them. 

You scanned Natasha’s appearance for any sign on injury, sighing in relief when you saw her unharmed. “We need to hurry, they know we’re here and might try to get rid of Sam.” Steve said, his tone urgent.

“I think I can detect his life force. Let me try.” You said, making a small energy ball form on your finger, watching it float off and start to fly down the hall. 

“Follow me.” You called out, already rushing after the energy ball. 

It was similar to the one you had formed during the rescue mission for the Secretary General but you had made it with the purpose to just detect Sam’s life force. Hoping it would work, you practically flew down the hallways, Steve and Natasha hot on your trail. You saw an agent appear at the end off the hall. Not pausing, you unhooked your bow, sending an arrow flying straight towards him. The agent dropped to the ground and as you ran past him, you pulled your arrow out his head. 

The energy ball had started to slow down now skidding to a stop at the end of the hallway. There was only one turn, to the left and you knew Sam would be down there. Absorbing the ball back into your finger, you turned to Steve and Natasha, gesturing towards the turn. Natasha turned on her comm, whispering, “We’ve zeroed in on his location, reach us as soon as you can.” 

Taking a deep breath, Steve was the first one who stepped into the turn and you both followed immediately. There was a small squadron of agents standing in front of the only door at the end of the hall, all their heads snapping in your direction. They started to charge, Steve throwing his shield and knocking down two of the approaching agents. You rushed forward, leaping past Steve and slashing down an agent as you landed. You could hear Natasha’s batons crackle as they made impact with the agents and you turned to see if she was okay.

This left you open and you could see an agent coming towards you from the corner of your eye, about to turn and hit him when Steve slammed him into the wall, snapping his neck immediately. He turned to you and you let out a frustrated grunt, throwing your daggers in Natasha’s direction, each hitting an agent charging towards her and they dropped to the ground. “I’m fine, look after her.” You spat at Steve, taking out two arrows from your quiver, rushing past him and stabbing two agents in the neck. 

Reaching for another, you dodged a punch coming you, shoving the arrow into the assailant’s neck and watched him convulse from the shocks. You were about to reach for another arrow when an agent tackled you to the ground, starting to choke you. It did not do much except make you realise you had a new kink. Rolling your eyes, you threw a punch to the agent’s mask covered face, sending him flying. Springing up, you rushed towards him, snapping his neck and then throwing his corpse towards the agents running towards you. This distracted them enough for you to arm yourself with two more arrows and you rushed forward, stabbing them in the necks. 

The agent’s numbers did not seem to stem, they kept coming from the door and you could see Steve and Natasha start to get overwhelmed. Taking a deep breath, you formed an energy blast in your hand, recent events making it easy for you to stir up feelings of anger. Throwing the blast forward, you watched it explode and send the agents flying, the smell of burning bodies reaching you. It seemed like they had stopped rushing out and you took out your bow, notching arrows and taking down the agents that Natasha and Steve were fighting off. They rushed past you as you snapped your fingers, making your daggers float back to you, the arrows back in the quiver. 

Stepping over the bodies, you all cautiously made your way into the room. It looked like an archive, shelves lining the sides of the room while the middle held an operating table. Rushing forward, you saw Sam in a dressing gown strapped to it with bruises and cuts littering every area of exposed skin, held in place with steel holsters. He was unconscious and his state made your blood boil. Hydra would pay for what they did. Sam was family and nobody messed with family. Steve looked livid at Sam’s state, searching for any button or mechanism that would release him. 

Gripping a holster, you tugged and ripped it off. Steve turned to you, seeing how angry you looked and took a step back, letting you take charge. You ripped out the rest of the holsters, placing a hand on Sam’s temple. He was burning up, his life force weak and flickering. You voiced this out to the two, Natasha’s features creasing with concern. 

As if it were a miracle, you saw Tony fly into the room. He saw Sam’s state, immediately raising his arm and sending a blast to the ceiling. A fair sized hole was made and without another word, Tony carefully cradled Sam and flew out. You could hear Tony’s voice from the comm, “Wanda and Vision should be joining you in a second, get to the quinjet immediately. I want to blow these fuckers up.” 

As he finished, you saw Wanda and Vision rush in, nodding at you all. Vision held onto Natasha, flying upwards, Wanda propelling herself up with an energy beam. You turned to grab Steve, eyes widening when you saw him sifting through files. What the fuck was he up to?

“Steve we have to go! Get away from there.” You yelled, not believing how stupid he was being.

“You go on, I need to find a file.” He yelled in reply, turning his back to you and rummaging through the shelves. 

“Jesus fucking Christ Steve, you can’t jump high enough to reach the ceiling.”

“Well then leave me. I’ll figure something out. This file is important.” 

You could not believe his reply, wanting to slap him for continuing to be a stubborn piece of shit. You could hear footsteps in the distance, knowing every Hydra agent in the building would be heading to your direction. 

“Steve!” You yelled, desperation evident in your tone. 

His head snapped back to you, seeing your eyes full of tears and it shocked him. It hurt him to see you like this, but this was the only chance he would get to find that file. Tearing his gaze from you, he started tearing through the papers again, his tone one of finality as he shouted, “Leave me. I mean it.”

If only it were that simple. Staying meant certain death, whereas leaving would guarantee you your life. But would it be worth living without Steve? Decision made, you turned to the doorway, notching an arrow, waiting for the agents to reach you. The thundering footsteps started to get closer, a glance back to Steve showed his frustrated movements as he threw useless files everywhere, trying to find whatever was worth risking both your lives over. 

Releasing your arrow, you saw it fly past the door, exploding in the hallway as you heard screams of pain. You hoped that it bought you a few minutes, but your blood ran cold when you saw men still rushing to the door. Crossing your arms, you formed a shield over the door, barricading yourself in the room. 

“Get the fuck out both of you. Right now. I mean it.” You could hear Tony say, his voice barely concealing his anger. 

You strained, trying to keep the shield up as the agents pounded against it, trying to get past. They tried to shoot at it and when that did not work, they started to throw themselves against it. Your arms ached, forehead beaded with sweat as you tried to block the agents pushing against it. You felt yourself inching backwards; there were too many of them. 

Steeling yourself, you pushed harder, seeing the agents get shoved back a few more inches and you stood steadfast. They were pushing against the shield again, the force stronger this time and you felt your nose start to bleed from the strain. Tears were flowing freely past your cheeks now, your knees were weak and your head was ringing, Tony’s shouts to evacuate were not helping either. 

Steve was tearing through the files as fast as he could, he knew he was close and just had to power through these few crucial moments. Ignoring Tony’s screams, he scanned the papers, trying to find what he was looking for. In his passion, he had not heard the footsteps of the Hydra agents, assuming you had left him. Finally, he saw the folder he was looking for. Grabbing it, he sighed in relief, when he heard Tony scream, “Both of you get out now!” 

Steve’s eyes widened, you had not left him. Turning around, he saw a sight that broke his heart. There you stood, tears and blood running down your face, your body shaking from the fatigue as you tried to keep the agents back. You had stayed. He could not believe it. After the fiasco on the roof while rescuing the Secretary General, he had expected you to ditch him the first chance you got, but there you stood protecting him. He knew he had to do something; you were going to give out fast. Rushing to you, he took an arrow out of your quiver, lips to your ear as he urged, “Push the shield back.” 

You heard his voice but it sounded distant. Still you nodded, mustering up some energy and pushing the shield back, the agents thrown off their balance. Immediately, Steve threw your arrow past the doorway, and you heard the explosion. It gave you mere minutes to escape, and you felt weak.

Turning, you looked into Steve’s eyes, you saw them full of concern for you and you took a deep breath, starting to propel both of you upwards. It was slower than normal, you were tired out and you both kept swaying but you kept looking into Steve’s eyes, finding the determination to fly past the ceiling. He was holding on to you, whispering words of encouragement and for a moment you could delude yourself that he cared for you. Inching upwards, you knew you would not be able to make it to the quinjet this way, the wind was too strong and you were too tired. 

You did not notice the quinjet hatch opening as Tony prepared to rush down to help you both. Instead, you gazed at Steve, taking in his appearance. His ocean eyes were full of worry, his perfect lips forming words you could not hear. Your heart brimmed full of love for him, your choice made. “Te iubesc.” You whispered, finally telling him you loved him and sending him a soft smile. Concentrating, you used all your leftover energy to send Steve hurtling to the quinjet as you let yourself fall, closing your eyes and accepting your fate. 

Steve knew you were weakened, and as you both floated towards the ceiling, he wondered if the file had been worth it. You looked exhausted, and he held you close to him, his eyes never leaving yours as he whispered, “I know you. I know you can do this. Please don’t give up; you’re stronger than us all. Please (Y/N).” 

He kept repeating these words like a prayer, hoping for a miracle to happen. When you both made it past the ceiling, he allowed himself to believe you both could make it to the quinjet, till he noticed the strain in your expression. His blood ran cold, you could not do this and he saw the quinjet hatch open, praying Tony would make it to you both in time. 

Steve hated himself, regretting his decision to look for the file. If it had just been his own life at stake, it would have been fine, but you were at risk too. You had stayed, held the Hydra agents back just to buy Steve time, and you had drained yourself now. How he wanted to turn back time; his heart ached that he had yet again made you end up getting hurt. He saw you smile at him, confused but hoping it was because you felt strong enough to reach the quinjet. You said something he was sure was Romanian, the words ringing in his ears when you let him go and Steve felt a tug in his stomach, realising he was flying upwards. He looked down to see you falling, your eyes shut and his eyes widened in panic. 

He crashed onto the quinjet floor, getting up immediately and rushing to the hatch. Vision held him back, stopping him from jumping out again and he watched you fall, his stomach churning and he felt his heart stop beating. You had sacrificed yourself for him, this was not right. He tugged against Vision, trying to get to you, forgetting that he could not fly. He saw Tony flying towards you, catching you just before you hit the roof and then flying back upwards. 

Letting out a sigh of relief, Steve stepped away, noticing he had a tear running down his cheek, which he wiped away roughly. Tony hurtled through the hatch, landing roughly and Vision closed the hatch immediately. Everyone forgot that they were still hovering over the Hydra base, rushing to gather around you as Tony placed you gently on the floor. Sam was secure, strapped into one of the seats where Wanda had been trying to heal him despite the commotion. Natasha had been muttering curses at Steve, Tony simultaneously activating the quinjet’s weapons while screaming at you two to get back till he saw you float past the ceiling, after which he left the quinjet on autopilot, knowing you would not make it on your own. 

Now everyone huddled around you and Wanda held onto your hand, focusing and sending a small jolt of energy to you. It worked, you felt like you had been shocked and your eyes snapped open, sitting up confused. How were you on the quinjet? You had tried to save Steve, where was he? You looked around wildly for him, sighing in relief when you saw him. Now that you were awake, Tony turned to Steve, grabbing him by the neck and pulling him up, shoving him against the wall. “You bastard. How could you?” He spat out, sending a punch to Steve’s gut. 

He was about to land another blow when he heard your weak voice call out, “Tony stop. Please.” 

He hesitated, turning to see your pleading expression before he let out a frustrated yell, punching the wall next to Steve’s head. “This isn’t over.” He muttered, letting Steve go and walking back to you. 

Tony was about to ask if you were okay when the quinjet shook, everyone’s ears ringing from the explosion. Hydra had started to attack. “Fuck! The cloaking device is a bust, I need to bring them down now.” Tony yelled, rushing to the pilots bay.

Your head was swimming, and Wanda made you lie down gently, cradling your head in her lap and stroking your hair. Your whole body hurt, but you needed her to do something. This was perhaps the only chance you could get. You could hear Tony in the distance, going ballistic in the pilot’s bay as he swerved the quinjet, dodging attacks and sending out as many blows as he could, trying to bring down the facility. 

You saw the hatch open; Vision flying out to help Tony and you could faintly make out his energy beams hurtling towards the facility. If only you did not feel so weak, you could help Tony too. Natasha was in a corner, screaming at Steve who looked ashen and you knew this was the time. 

“Wanda, please. Look through my mind, there’s a wall and it’s holding back important memories. Break it down. I’m too weak to retaliate right now.” You urged, trying to keep your voice from breaking. 

“You’re too exhausted right now. The strain could kill you.” Wanda protested, shaking her head vehemently. 

“Please Wanda. Please. I need you to do this.” You begged, your eyes imploring her. 

She hesitated before nodding, placing her fingers to your temple and starting to concentrate. She started to feel what you felt, the exhaustion, the pain and the heartbreak, starting to shudder. It was overwhelming, yet she had to help you. She concentrated, her eyes glowing red now as she sifted through all your memories till she reached the block. It was strong, almost impassable and she started to put pressure on it, feeling you convulse underneath her. She knew it was hurting you, but she had no choice. 

She kept pushing, the strain causing her hair to fly wildly, and she felt your wall slowly start to give in. She pushed harder, finally feeling it break down and she pulled out, breathing heavily. Wiping away the sweat from her forehead, she saw you had fainted from the exertion and she panicked. Wanda grabbed your wrist, looking for a pulse and breathing a sigh of relief when she felt it. The exertion had worn her out too, and she leaned against the quinjet wall, hoping everything would work out before her eyes shut. 

~

Tony’s punch had hurt, but Natasha’s words cut him harder. She called him everything she could think of, and this time nobody stopped her like you did Tony. He let Natasha speak, not saying a word. He knew he deserved it, and much more. The quinjet swayed as Tony dodged the attacks, their severity decreasing as Tony took out parts of the building with the quinjet’s guns, Vision’s energy beam helping quicken the task. This was not how the mission was supposed to go down, Steve had jeopardised everything again, but he had needed the file. It would have been okay if you had just left him, why did you stay? 

Natasha saw Steve’s mind drift, stopping her verbal assault. She was angry at him for putting you in a situation like that again, angry at you for being so stupid and sacrificing yourself for Steve. As soon as you felt better, she was going to chew your ear off. Turning, she saw Wanda bent over you, her hair flying and energy mists whipping around you both. What was she doing to you?

Just as Natasha started to rush towards you two, Wanda leaned back, energy fading away as Wanda closed her eyes. What had happened? Natasha landed to your side, checking to see if you were still breathing, then checking Wanda. This was a disaster. Two of the strongest members of the team were either out cold or too weak to fight, the other two wearing themselves out to bring down the facility. Shoving the hatch open, Natasha saw most of the facility was destroyed, but the intact portions were sending out attacks, Tony too busy dodging them to properly fire back. 

Rushing back to you, Natasha removed the bow and arrows from your limp form, signalling for Steve to follow her. “Hold on to me, I’m going to lean out and shoot. Try not to let go.” She ordered, Steve nodding and holding onto her waist, one arm grabbing onto the quinjet tightly. 

Natasha started to notch arrows; releasing them and watching them fly to the building, exploding on impact. She kept going till the arrows finished, hoping it helped Tony and Vision enough. Steve pulled Natasha in as the quinjet swayed once again, having been hit. Steve heard Tony cuss and he never hated himself more. It was his fault, the whole team was going to die and it was his fault. Rushing into the pilots bay, he yelled, “Tony get out there, I’ll fly.” 

Tony got up, rushing out after sending Steve a withering glare, flying out the hatch and closing it behind him. Steve took the wheel, starting to dodge the attacks being thrown towards him. How Tony had managed to fire back was a mystery, the attacks were relentless. Steve checked the quinjet’s stats, one wing was damaged, the firepower almost finished. He could see Tony and Vision whipping around, throwing attacks at the facility as it shook. Steve saw the whole structure starting to crumble, opening the hatch to let in Tony and Vision. It was finally over. Not thinking, he started to fly the quinjet at full speed, just wanting to get away from this place. He could hear Tony and Vision inside, closing the hatch as the quinjet whipped over the land. 

Just as he was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the quinjet started to shake, an alarm starting to blare. Tony rushed in, tapping away at the screen as Steve kept flying, not knowing what was going on. The alarm did not stop, getting louder in fact, till he heard an automated voice say, “Wing A is too damaged to function. Please evacuate the aircraft.” 

“That’s not an option. Wanda’s down so is (Y/N). Me and Vision cannot save all of you, plus Sam’s a vegetable right now.” Tony spat out in frustration, typing away at the screen, hoping to fix whatever was wrong. 

The voice repeated its message, Steve’s mind racing before he started to incline the quinjet downwards, slowing down the speed considerably. “What are you doing?” Tony yelled, wanting to do nothing more than slap Steve.

“Saving your ass. Now shut up.” Steve snapped, ignoring the automated voice as he saw mountains in the horizon. 

“We are going to crash!” Tony insisted, trying to pry Steve away from the controls.

“We are going to land.” Steve retaliated, holding on steadfast, the mountains getting closer and closer.

“Brace yourselves.” Tony yelled out, eyes closing as the quinjet neared the ground, the impact causing everyone to go flying. 

The last thing Tony saw was dirt flying up as the quinjet slid across the ground before everything went black.

~

You felt weightless, like you were flying past time, past the constraints of the world up into the stars. Slowly, the feeling started to fade, pain and exhaustion seeping in instead. Your head hurt, it was like you were drowning in your own memories. Suddenly, you felt something shift in your soul, something deep. Your eyes opened and you looked around. You were inside the quinjet, on the floor. The interior looked worse for wear, and you looked around. Wanda was slumped next to you and you hurriedly checked her pulse. Your pain and exhaustion was slowly seeping away for some reason, the headache the only thing remaining. 

Holding onto her, you focused, making your energy flow through her and she opened her eyes, looking around panicking. Getting off the floor, you noticed the quinjet was no longer flying. That was odd, you could not be back already, why had nobody taken you out? You saw Natasha sitting next to Sam’s limp form, holding onto his hand. Thankfully, she was okay, having strapped herself into a seat as soon as she heard Tony’s warning. 

The hatch of the quinjet was open, but you barely glanced at it, rushing to the pilots bay. You could see Steve bent over the controls, out cold, Tony crumpled up in a corner with Vision watching over him. “(Y/N) how are you awake?” Vision asked, his tone full of surprise.

Ignoring his question, you bent down towards Tony, taking his hand and sending a burst of energy through him too. His eyes opened and he smiled at you and you continued to heal him till he pulled his hand away. “I’m fine now. That was like a shot of heroin, I’m not going to lie.” 

You rolled your eyes at his remark, turning to Steve now. Walking to him, you placed your hand on his head, remembering what you said to him. That was not important right now, you pushed it away, focusing on healing Steve. It was minor head injury from the impact, the exhaustion having made him pass out. Your magic flowed through him and he opened his eyes, looking around. His plan had worked. He turned to see you, about to say something when you walked out the pilots bay. He got up, following you out, Tony and Vision behind him. 

It was odd, you should feel tired by now, having healed three people, but you felt fine. Pausing, you closed your eyes, making your energy flow over you once, healing the cut on your lip you got from the Hydra agent, any other residual pain and weariness slipping away. The only thing that remained was the mild headache. Turning your gaze to Sam, you ignored what the team was saying to you, walking towards him and taking his hand. 

He was the worst, hurt all over, multiple fractures everywhere and deeply sedated. Still, you focused and made your energy flow through him, slowly healing all his fractures, his bruises and cuts starting to disappear. When his body was completely healed, you were about to start removing the sedative from his bloodstream when you froze. You heard the cry of a steppe eagle, and there was only one place you had heard it before. 

Letting go of Sam’s hand, you shot out of the quinjet, dodging Vision as he tried to grab you. Leaping out past the hatch, you landed on grass. Heart pounding, your body shaking as you tried to control your emotions, you slowly started to lift your head, keeping your eyes shut.

You hoped against hope, but it was impossible. You felt your heart about to give out, you knew you could wait no longer and so you snapped your eyes open, falling to your knees immediately. There they stood, your beloved Carpathians, majestic in the afternoon sun, snow still covering their steep peaks. Tears flowed freely out of your eyes as you looked around you, inhaling deeply. The sky was as blue as you remembered, the scent of pine filling your lungs. Your hands brushed over the grass, it still felt the same. 

You were home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading, I hope you liked the chapter! Please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, I love hearing from you all!
> 
> te iubesc- (Romanian) I love you
> 
> See you next update lovelies!


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! I read through all your lovely comments and churned out this chapter despite wanting to delete it several times. Anyhoo, it may be more mundane compared to the others, but it was necessary for all the major reveals in the next one. 
> 
> I cannot thank you all enough for your love and support, we are halfway through to 600 kudos! I need to pinch myself every single time I see the positive response to the story, you all are angels.

You could not believe you were back. You had accepted that you would have to shake the heavens before you ever got to come back home, but here you were. Of all the places you could have crash landed- it was here. Your mother had always talked about the power of Fate, and while you had brushed it off when you were younger, now you started to believe it. It finally felt like someone up there was looking out for you, had made these events transpire so you would end up here. 

You were still on your knees, hands buried in the grass as you cried openly, your heart soaring. You felt light, happy and rejuvenated. Hearing footsteps, you turned to see the team hesitating by the hatch, not knowing what to do. Natasha saw your expression and you sent her a beaming smile, this being enough encouragement for her. She stepped off the quinjet, walking to your side and starting to look around. She let out a shaky breath, eyes full of wonder and she turned to you, reciprocating your smile. 

The rest of the team followed, looking around and feeling slightly confused at what was going on. Getting up, you gestured for them to come closer. Wanda recognised the landscape from what she had seen in your memories, letting out a joyous yelp and running to you, clasping your hands in excitement. Seeing as the men still looked confused, you took a deep breath, facing them and saying, “This is my home.” 

Your revelation did not do much to dissipate their confusion, Tony stepping forward, eyebrow raised. Controlling the urge to roll your eyes at their stupidity, you gestured to your surroundings and spoke, “This is where I grew up. We’re in northern Romania right now, right at the base of the Carpathian mountain range.” 

Finally realisation dawned on their faces, Tony coming to stand next to you, eyes taking in the view of the mountains that looked like they were about to touch the sky, the pine forest at a small distance, with rolling fields all around you. “This is where you grew up kid? It’s beautiful.” He said, voice uncharacteristically low.

This made you beam with pride; it was not often that Tony Stark was awed by anything he saw. You wanted to see how Steve was reacting to being in your home, so you turned to face him. His eyes were wide, taking in his surroundings with the wonder of a child when his eyes met yours. All he did was send you a small smile, which you reciprocated, your heartbeat increasing at the gentle gesture. 

You were about to drown into his eyes when Vision cleared his throat, all of you turning to him. “I hate to ruin this moment, but what is the plan?” He asked.

Your brows furrowed, what was he talking about? “What do you mean?” You asked, tone full of confusion. 

“How will we get back home?” 

Those words hit you like a stab in the gut. Vision was right, Fury expected you all to be back. But you just reached here, and you were not ready to leave. Not yet. You shook your head, starting to slowly step away from the team when Tony raised his hands in a placating gesture, “He is right kid. We have to get back.” 

Natasha saw the panic in your expression, she knew that look well and before you could take off running, she retorted, “How exactly do you propose we do that? The quinjet is broken, we don’t have any equipment to signal back home.” 

Natasha’s words calmed you down considerably, she was right. There was no way you all could get back with the state the quinjet was in. “We should try to look for civilization, see if we can find something to help us.” Vision suggested.

“That’ll be a problem. We’re hours away from the closest town, and that too is a village that barely gets electricity. In fact, check your phones, we won’t be having any service.” You said, trying to conceal the glee in your tone. 

As you finished, you snapped your fingers, making the teams cell phones float out of the quinjet into their hands. Everyone tapped away at their screens, Tony letting out a curse when he saw you were right. “What do we do then?” Wanda asked.

“We need food, shelter and access to some sort of computer so I can request an evacuation detail.” Tony muttered, mind already trying to work out plans to get you all back home. 

“I suggest you all head back into the quinjet, we can camp out there for the time being. As for food, I’ll go and scavenge.” You offered, wanting to go out and explore. 

“I agree with the quinjet part, but I don’t think you should go out alone, it could be dangerous.” Steve spoke up for the first time, and you turned to glare at him.

You were about to snap when Tony beat you to it, “Ah bravo Captain! Where in the bloody hell was this concern when you were sifting through Hydra files, leaving her to fucking hold back a battalion?” 

Your eyes widened, not expecting Tony to be so incensed, surprise increasing when he turned to you and spoke, “As for you. I cannot believe how stupid you were! You should have knocked him out and flown up to the quinjet. Or just abandoned him. Or called for help. There were a million fucking things you could have done instead of sacrificing yourself to save him. Do you know how worried I was? I almost had a goddamn stroke, wondering whether I could catch you in time.” 

You blinked, never having seen Tony look so angry. You were about to say something when Natasha spoke next, “He’s right (Y/N) don’t try to talk your way out of this. What you did was risky and foolish.” 

She was quiet for a moment and you thought it was the end of the guilt trip when Natasha turned to Steve and continued, “And you. Jesus Steve, I cannot believe you. If Tony hadn’t caught her in time, her blood would be on your hands. She’s been covering up for you with Fury for a while, but I swear to God if anything had happened to her, I was going to report your antics straight to Fury and then shoot you myself.” 

Now it was Steve’s turn to feel attacked. While everything they said was true, he still hated being berated. You saw Steve’s expression twist, knowing you had to intervene and so you coughed, turning the attention to you before speaking, “Now is not the time for this conversation. While I agree with you that what Steve did was selfish and ridiculous, and what I did was stupid, you can’t make me regret my decision. I apologise for the misery I caused, but given the chance I’d do it again in a heartbeat.” 

Tony and Natasha nodded begrudgingly, Steve having a self-righteous smirk on his face, which irked you. He was not out of the woods yet and you needed to let him know that. “Don’t smirk, I could destroy a city with the amount of rage I’m feeling right now, and it’s all because of you. Stay in line.”

His eyes widened at your tone, knowing it was best that he remain silent right now. Turning back to Tony, you continued, “As for me going alone, this is literally my home. Nothing is going to happen to me.” 

“I’m not entirely comfortable with you going alone either sestra. Can’t you just make food appear for us?” Natasha spoke, stepping closer to you and placing a hand on your shoulder.

“It doesn’t work that way. Objects are no problem, but the food would not be sustaining, it might leave you sick or hungrier. I’ll be fine alone.” You explained, your tone pleading.

“Someone should go with you.” Tony said, crossing his arms, expression strict.

“Who? Wanda’s tired and she’s never been in the wilderness before, Vision will stick out like a sore thumb and I’m sure the wildlife here would love to attack the big floating red thing. Tony you need to stay here and try to fix the quinjet; use the equipment from your suit or something. The terrain’s too rough for Natasha and someone needs to stay back and take care of Sam.” You narrated, smirking when you saw the team’s expressions, knowing they agreed with you. 

“Take Steve then.” Vision suggested.

“Yeah no. That will not end well.” You retorted, sending Vision a withering glare.

“Take Steve along (Y/N), you’ll need help carrying back the supplies.” Wanda placated and you hesitated before nodding.

“Fine. You all head inside, keep an eye on Sam and see if he wakes up. If he doesn’t, I’ll fix him when I get back.” You said, making your dagger float out, which you strapped on. 

Already starting to walk towards the pine forest, you sent a glance back to see Steve still frozen in place. “Keep up Captain. And try not to talk.” You called out.

You heard him jog up to you, at your side now and you both reached the edge of the forest. Trying to hide your giddiness, you stepped in, eyes swivelling to take in everything. You took deep breaths, inhaling the cold air and familiar scent, walking to the nearest tree and running your hand over the bark gently. Raising a finger at Steve, signalling for him to wait, you started to float upwards, avoiding the tree’s branches and rising over the top, trying to discern which part of the land you were in. That would help you in your task of finding sustenance. 

The ideal situation would be you locating your waterfall, which had enough fruit trees nearby along with fresh water. The mountains were to the north, trees stretching from east to west with the fields down south, but you could not see your waterfall anywhere. Floating back down slowly, you shook your head upon seeing Steve’s hopeful expression. Closing your eyes, you focused on your hearing. You could hear the wind blow softly past the trees; the distant chitters of birds and wildlife. Straining your ears, your eyes snapped open when you heard running water. 

You started to sprint in the direction of the noise, Steve on your heels. Flying past the trees, you felt like a child again. You slowed down when you saw the trees thinning, more open fields in sight. You could see the stream, rushing to its side and smiling. The water was crystal clear, and the first thing you did was splash the cold water all over your face. Cupping your hands, you took a sip and relished the fresh taste and the way the temperature soothed your throat. Seeing you drinking, Steve knelt down next to you, imitating your actions and starting to sip. 

While he was occupied, you turned your head to try and see from where the stream originated. You had a feeling it came from your waterfall and you were tempted to run along it to confirm your suspicion. The possibilities were endless if you found your waterfall, it guaranteed food and water, and it would help you find all the other familiar places of your childhood. You knew it would be easier to navigate with the waterfall as a starting point, you could find the field of flowers you would spend hours in, the parts of the forest you would sprint in, the mountains you would climb. 

A thought struck you and you stood up abruptly, not noticing Steve’s concerned expression at your actions. It surprised you that this was the first time you remembered since realising you were back and now your mind was racing at the possibilities. What happened to your house? Was it still standing, or had it been destroyed? The latter could be possible; you knew the extent of the Room’s ruthlessness. They might have just burned it down to destroy the remnants of your old life. You would not hold it past them. 

You had an urge to investigate; you needed to see if your house was still standing. Perched on the balls of your feet, you swayed, debating whether or not to run off when you heard Steve call out to you, “What’s wrong (Y/N)?” 

Turning, you curled your hands up in fists, frustrated at your predicament. While you wanted to go, you knew you had a duty to the team. Shaking your head at Steve, you snapped your fingers, making several large pitchers of water appear. Starting to fill them one by one, you watched Steve out of the corner of your eye. He was filling a pitcher, but absentmindedly. You wanted to ask a question but Steve beat you to it, placing away his pitcher and turning to you, his tone hesitant, “What did you say to me before you let go and fell?”

You froze, keeping your gaze fixated on the flowing water, ignoring the fact that the pitcher in your hand was full and starting to spill over. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” You finally choked out, hoping your voice did not break. 

“You said something just before you saved me and propelled me to the quinjet. It was in another language and I didn’t know what it meant.” He explained, trying to get you to look at him.

Carefully placing away the pitcher, you finally faced him. His blue eyes were inquisitive, begging yours for an answer, an explanation, but you did not wish to reveal anything. Things had been different in that moment, you thought you would die and wanted to get it out of the way, but since you had unfortunately survived, you did not want to deal with the consequences of your reveal. “I don’t remember anything, sorry.” 

His face fell and your heart ached at disappointing him, but it was for the best. Springing up, you bent down to pick up a few pitchers when movement caught your eye. Immediately, you unstrapped your dagger, throwing it expertly and watching it fly over the water, embedding itself in the large hare. You made it float back to you, removing your dagger from its corpse. Wiping the blade on the grass, you handed the body to Steve who took it rather gingerly. One glare from you removed the mild disgust from his expression. 

Steve held onto the hare, along with a pitcher while you had two, making the rest float behind you, deciding to take a different route to get back to the quinjet. As you walked, you could feel Steve glancing at you repeatedly and you feared he had not been satisfied with your answer. Thankfully, he did not say a word and you internally sighed in relief. You did not know whether you could deflect his questions if he grilled you about the incident, and admitting anything to him currently seemed mortifying, especially since you were angry at him for behaving the way he did during the mission. 

You could see a cluster of trees and upon close inspection; you saw they were apple trees. Smiling, you rushed up to one, Steve about to ask how you planned on getting them when you placed away the pitchers, swinging up to the branches and starting to pick the reddest apples you could see. Conjuring up a rucksack, you placed away the fruit, jumping down nimbly and landing on your feet. Picking up the pitchers again, you started to walk when Steve called out to you. Freezing, you prayed he was not going to ask another question, feeling him approach your side. 

He silently took the rucksack from your shoulder, hooking it onto his and then started to walk again. This made you smile slightly before you composed yourself, rushing forward and guiding Steve to where you knew the quinjet would be. You could see its outline come into sight, increasing your pace and calling out to the team. Immediately, Natasha rushed outside, taking the pitcher out of your hands and setting it down. The rest of the team started to emerge and you placed away the things you had gathered into a small pile. 

Taking the hare from Steve, you asked the team to find bits of wood lying around and make a heap. Walking off to the side, you started to skin the hare carefully, discarding the fur. Heading back, you saw Wanda placing the last branch into the pile and you sent a small fireball it its direction, watching it ignite. 

Making a small pot appear, you poured some of the water you had gathered into it, before starting to chop and place in pieces of the hare. The team watched you silently, and you turned to them, eyebrow raised. “Do I have something on my face?” You asked.

“We’ve never seen you cook, that’s all.” Tony said and you rolled your eyes.

“Don’t expect a feast. For now, hydrate yourselves and have an apple each.” You replied, already turning back to your attempt at a stew. 

It was almost evening, the skies were getting darker and you saw Tony head inside, Wanda and Vision following. Natasha stayed outside, wanting to give you company. Looking around, you noticed Steve was nowhere to be seen and you felt panic arise. 

Just as you were about to run off to search for him, you saw him appear from the trees, walking up to you. He had a few plants in his hands and he smiled sheepishly before saying, “It needed seasoning, so I went to find some. Parsley and thyme.” 

He surprised you, and you took bits of the two herbs, gesturing for him to place the rest in the pile with your other supplies. Adding it in, you could feel your stomach grumble. As much as you were happy about being back, you knew the team could not survive like this, camping out in the quinjet and living off the land. You had been used to it when you were a child, but they were not. You would have to start providing ample food to keep them healthy and so it was decided. You would go hunting tomorrow. 

“What’s the progress on fixing the quinjet?” You whispered to Natasha.

“Tony’s been dismantling his suit, as much as he hates it. He’s trying to fix the wing and if that doesn’t work, then he’ll build some sort of signal. It may take a while.” 

You could not control your smile at her words, and she shoved you playfully before saying, “You could try to look less pleased sestra. They aren’t used to living like this.” 

You shrugged, about to turn back to the stew when Natasha said, “You told him didn’t you? Before you let go.”

You nodded, sending a glance back to check where Steve was, seeing him inside the quinjet next to Sam’s limp form. You could make out Steve’s mouth moving, his hand clasping Sam’s as he spoke earnestly. Turning back to Natasha you said, “I had to get it out, I thought I would not survive the fall. Now he’s asking me what I meant to say. If he asks you, pretend you have no clue.” 

Natasha nodded at your orders, leaning over the pot and inhaling the scent of the stew, a smile appearing on her face. You called out to the team, telling them it was done and while you waited for them, you made five bowls and spoons appear, setting them down on the grass. You were surprising yourself with the boundless energy you felt, usually using so much of your magic on a constant basis left you feeling a bit tuckered out, but ever since you landed back home, it was like you had an endless supply. You knew the answer to this also lay in your memories, and you were curious as to why nothing was coming to you yet. 

Catching sight of Wanda come out with the rest, you knew you would have to talk to her about this predicament. Wanda sat down first, Steve next to her, then Natasha and Tony. You completed the circle, sitting next to Wanda while Vision chose to stay inside with Sam. 

Pouring out generous amounts of stew for the team, you made sure all four of them got ample helpings of the meat, leaving mostly broth for yourself. Taking an experimental sip, you smiled. It was not half bad. The team started to gorge themselves, having been starving and before you knew it, they were done. They looked full, but you still offered them more apples. Shaking their heads, you saw them get up, about to head inside when you held onto Wanda’s arm.

Waiting for the team to head into the quinjet, you finally spoke, “My memories haven’t come back yet. Why is that?” 

“Memories are tricky. I’ve let down the wall and everything’s going to come back soon, like a tidal wave. It may take a day or a week; I’m not sure. But they will come back.” She assured and you nodded.

You let her head inside, choosing to stay and clear up everything. Taking all the utensils, you made a neat pile right next to the quinjet, taking the leftover food back inside. The team was already getting comfortable on the seats when you snapped your fingers, making pillows and blankets appear for them. You were about to conjure up bedding of some sorts when Tony stood up, shaking his head at you. “Enough (Y/N). Don’t exhaust your energy. This is more than enough.” 

“Fine, let me heal Sam then.” You said obstinately. 

“I don’t know whether that’s such a good idea. We’re in the middle of nowhere; he’s been through hell. It’s good that he’s asleep and not experiencing all of this, who knows how he’ll react when he wakes up. He might need more medical attention. I think it’s best he stay like this till we can head back. If we seem to be stuck here for longer, you can wake him.” Tony explained.

You nodded hesitantly, his words making sense, walking to where Natasha and Wanda were huddled on the floor. Sitting down next to them, you were about to drift off when Wanda suddenly spoke, “I need to take a bath.” 

Sitting up abruptly, you turned to Natasha who nodded, agreeing with the sentiment. They did have a point, you all had been in your suits for almost two whole days now and they were starting to get uncomfortable. 

“I packed away a bag of toiletries, we can take our clothes and go to the waterfall tomorrow.” You suggested.

“We’ll come too, I’ll die if I have to be in this t-shirt any longer.” You heard Tony call out, turning to see both him and Steve nodding at your words.

Your eyes widened and you turned back to Natasha and Wanda. Your worried expression said it all, and Natasha concealed a smirk. “You should be happy sestra. You’ll be seeing Steve naked.” 

You immediately started choking on your spit, Wanda patting your back and you groaned, muttering in Russian, “I hate you Tasha.” 

Not wanting to talk about this anymore, you turned over, curling into your blanket and drifting off, exhausted with today’s events. You would have loved a dreamless slumber, but you were not so lucky. You had the same dream as you did in the pilots bay. You danced in your dress, rushing across the fields to hug Steve, the wind whispering about your love and calling you ‘princess’. 

Your eyes snapped open and you sat up abruptly. Despite the content of the dream, you felt rested. Looking around, you saw everyone was awake. Tony was in the pilots bay tinkering away, you could see Steve and Natasha training outside while Wanda munched away on an apple, leaning against Vision. Springing up, you checked on Sam’s vitals. Everything seemed fine and you stretched, trying to get rid of the stiffness in your muscles. Picking up two apples, you sighed when you saw they were about to finish. Heading to the pilots bay, you saw Tony bent over the controls, pieces of his suit littered across the floor. 

“Morning.” He acknowledged, not looking away from his work.

Shoving an apple into his face, you ordered, “Eat.”

“Jesus kid. I already ate.” He complained, trying to slap away the apple and continue working, but you were determined. 

“Not in front of me. Now eat.” You said, smiling triumphantly when he begrudgingly took the fruit, taking a bite and exaggerating his chewing.

“Happy?”

“Yes, very. Now come outside, take a break.” You insisted, not waiting for a reply and dragging Tony out. 

Taking a seat next to Wanda, you observed Steve workout. His muscles rippled, skin glistening with sweat under the morning sun. In short, he was art. Tearing your eyes away from him, you finished your apple and turned to Tony, asking in a low voice, “Are you still serious about joining us at the waterfall?” 

“Yeah, let’s head out right now.” Tony replied, his voice booming and you winced; he clearly did not get the memo about keeping it quiet.

Steve and Natasha’s heads snapped in your direction, and you sighed before springing up to your feet, calling out to them, “Get your clothes, let’s go.” 

You went into the quinjet, finding your things and starting to rummage through the clothes you had packed. Deciding on a black tank top and matching cargo pants, you swung on your bag of toiletries, stowing away the clothes inside it. Walking back outside, you could see Tony and Natasha deep in conversation while Steve was sipping water, Wanda next to Vision. 

Walking up to Natasha and Tony, you caught the last bit of their conversation; they were having Vision stay back with Sam just in case. Vision did not need to accompany you all anyways, and this way Sam could be taken care of. You waited for the others to join you with their clothes, picking up a few of the empty water pitchers to take along. 

Steve and Wanda joined you, and after telling Vision you all would be back soon, you headed off, the team following you. You walked slowly; it was still pretty early and you watched the team take in their surroundings with awe. Steve had accompanied you yesterday but he was equally impressed with the view. Avoiding the forest and instead walking at its edge, it did not take you long to reach the stream. 

You hesitated for a moment, what if it was not part of your waterfall at all? Natasha noticed your hesitation, sending you a smile and it gave you enough comfort to start walking alongside the stream. You were headed north and the team thankfully did not try to talk to you. Every step filled you with doubt and dread, what were you going to do if you did not find the waterfall? Although you were not sure what you would do if you did find it. Would you leave the team to try and find your house? Or take them with you?

These thoughts kept you occupied, and you soon reached the edge of the treeline again. That was a good sign; your waterfall had been near the trees too. Stepping inside, you kept following the stream, noticing how the sound of the water got louder as you walked, mirroring your nervous heartbeat. 

You were about to lose hope when you froze, hearing the tell tale spray of the water. Forgetting that the team was behind you, you set off into a sprint, rushing past the trees. You could hear them call out to you, but the call of the waterfall was louder. You finally skidded to a stop when it came into sight. It was majestic, amidst the trees and originating from one of the mountains that jutted out further than the others in the range. It formed a pool of crystalline water that broke off into the stream you had followed. The spray and mist formed a faint rainbow under the sun and you finally felt at ease. Now you could say you were properly home. 

The team caught up to you, about to reproach you for running off when they saw the waterfall. “Oh.” Was the only thing you heard Steve say and you saw his eyes full of wonder. 

“This is where I spent most of my childhood.” You said in a low voice.

Wanda’s hand came onto your shoulder, giving it a comforting squeeze while Natasha did the same to your hand. Tony clapped his hands; grabbing everyone’s attention and saying, “Let’s get down to business already.” 

“We’ll be bathing together?” Steve asked, his voice barely audible, expression one of pure panic.

“While I do believe anyone who gets to see me naked is blessed, I don’t think it’s such a good idea. The girls go first; we’ll wait further up. When they’re done, we get our turn. Comprende?” Tony explained, and for a moment you thought you saw Steve’s face fall. 

You blinked and his disappointed expression was gone, replaced with nonchalance as he walked to Tony, following him to the edge of the trees till the two were out of sight. Immediately you stripped, jumping into the pool with a yelp, Natasha and Wanda following. The water was surprisingly warm and you sighed in contentment. Making the bag of toiletries float to you, you started to shampoo your hair, sighing in relief as you scrubbed away the accumulated dirt and sweat. The water felt amazing and you passed the shampoo on to Natasha and Wanda, starting to wash yourself. You wanted to stay in the pool forever, but you had things to do. 

Stepping out, you snapped a finger to dry yourself immediately, slipping on your clothes and starting to figure out your bearings while Natasha and Wanda finished bathing. Since the mountains were to the north currently, you knew you had to turn left and start walking, keeping the Carpathians to your left side. This path would soon lead you to your field of flowers, and from there it would take a few minutes to reach the place your home was supposed to be. 

While you were figuring this out, Natasha and Wanda were getting dressed and when they were done, Wanda walked up to you, placing a hand on your shoulder and startling you. Turning, you saw Wanda and calmed down immediately, seeing Natasha go call Steve and Tony. The three returned, Steve looking as red as a beet for some reason. What had Tony said to him? 

They stood facing you all expectantly and you realised they were waiting for you to leave. Coughing awkwardly, you gestured to Natasha and Wanda, walking on ahead. Once you were sure there was enough distance between you all, you stopped. “Sestra, are you sure you don’t want to go back and join Steve? I’m sure he wouldn’t mind.” Natasha teased, signature smirk plastered on her face. 

Rolling your eyes at her words, you were about to continue planning how you were going to find your home when Wanda spoke, “This would be the perfect time to examine his goods.”

Eyes widening, you turned to face the witch, taking in her devious expression. “I expected this from Tasha, not from you Wanda. Shame on you.” You berated, having no effect on her as she started to wink exaggeratedly at you. 

Little did you know Tony had been having the same conversation with Steve. 

~

Steve had seen how exuberant you were upon returning home, but as more time passed, he noticed your worry. It had started after you both had gone to the stream for water; the way you looked up north reminded him of how you would look at the woods in the Compound. Like you wanted to leave everything behind and reach for the horizon. He could sense your restlessness and it confused him, what more did you want? 

He assumed it was because of his silence over what you had said to him before falling. So he asked you about it, only for you to say you did not remember. This confused him further, you had not received any head injury, how could you have forgotten what you said? Perhaps the whole moment was a blur for you, emotions had been running high and maybe the adrenaline fuelled your actions at that moment. 

You were being as distant as usual, if not more so and it led Steve to come upon the conclusion that what you had said to him had probably been something along the lines of forgiveness. After all, you did save his life, so it could not have been an admission of hate, but your current behaviour suggested that it had not been a message of love either. 

Your unexpected sacrifice had shaken him to the core. The fact that you stayed behind had been surprising enough, but you choosing to save him over yourself was monumental. It was like a slap to his face, all his earliest assumptions about you had been proven wrong. You had done the noblest thing that existed, risked your life for someone else. It left him in awe. He had given you his heart, now he owed you his life. 

Your choice had also made him re-evaluate his own. Had the file been worth it? Deeply disgusted with himself over his selfishness, Steve had stashed away the file, promising himself not to look at it till he repaid you in kind. He owed you this much. 

Thankfully, Tony had dropped most of his hostility and Steve listened to his plan as they walked towards the waterfall. He was still trying to fix the quinjet with pieces of his suit; it would not be sustainable enough to reach back, but it would be enough to fly them to civilization. If that did not work, Tony would try to signal Fury some way or the other. 

Steve was only half listening, his eyes drifting back to you methodically as you led them upstream. You looked distressed and your steps were hesitant. He had always seen you be so sure of yourself, so confident about what you did no matter what, this was discomforting. Still, he followed you without a protest. 

He felt his breath catch in his throat when he saw the waterfall, it was as beautiful as he expected. He could not believe you had grown up around so much beauty, no wonder you always missed your home. It was honestly like Steve had ascended to heaven. The only downside of this place was the dream he had. It was the same as the one in the cabin, you dancing in a field full of flowers, reaching out to him and smiling. It confused him to the core, what did it mean? 

He knew his emotions were running wild and feared that he might end up blurting out the truth. He could only assume how terribly you would react. He doubted you had ever been in love with anyone before, and he was probably not your first choice. He felt he was too tame for you. 

He watched you smile before turning back to face everyone when Tony spoke. Steve realised nobody said anything about taking turns, so he voiced out his concerns, “We’ll be bathing together?”

His mind ran haywire at this implication, already starting to form images of your wet, naked form as you smiled enticingly at him. He would be lying to himself if he said he did not want to experience that sight, but Tony’s words shattered any further ideas he might have. Steve forgot to control his disappointed expression, and seeing your surprised one he knew you had caught it. Immediately, he tried to look as carefree as possible, turning and following Tony, trying to ignore the blood rushing up to his ears and the uncomfortable bulge in his nether regions. You were just a few paces back, getting undressed and he was walking away from this glorious sight. 

Tony noticed Steve’s expression, stopping abruptly and asking, “What’s on your mind?” 

Steve’s brows furrowed, surprised Tony bothered to ask, having been unsure how far Tony’s civility would extend. Shrugging, Steve was about to brush off the question when a thought crossed his mind, “Actually, something has been bothering me, it’s something you said.”

“If you expect me to apologise for calling you out over your choices then you’re barking up the wrong tree capsicle. (Y/N) is the only one stopping me from shoving a metal boot up your ass.” He snapped, still visibly mad.

“That’s not it. We’ll add that incident to the list of ones in which we happen to disagree. This involves what you said to me on the roof of the Tower before after my mission with (Y/N).” Steve explained, slightly annoyed at Tony’s not-so-subtle threat and immature nickname.

“That. What part of it is making you shit bricks? Me saying you have feelings for her? Or me being right about it?” Tony retorted, his signature know-it-all smirk plastered on his face. 

“Yes- I- I mean no. I want to know what made you say that.” Steve said, catching himself from revealing too much. 

“Well let’s see. Your panties have been in a bunch the moment you saw her, she affects you too much for it to just be dislike or even hate. Plus you’re a 90-year-old virgin and she looks like that. No shit you think she’s attractive.” 

“Your facts are wrong, Anthony. I’m not a virgin.” Steve countered obstinately, unaware of how childish he sounded.

“Oh really? The vanilla shit you had going on with Sharon doesn’t count capsicle. Even if we ignore everything else, they way you look at her is enough. Like she drives you up a wall, but at the same time makes you want to do better, be better. It’s the same way I look at Pepper. There’s no ignoring it Steve, no matter how much you want to.” Tony spoke, his tone shifting to sincere towards the end.

Tony observed the ocean of expressions on Steve’s face, knowing he had gone through to him enough, his suspicions confirmed when Steve looked away, arms crossed as he asked, “So what do I do?”

Tony smiled a genuine smile, rolling his eyes at Steve’s obliviousness before walking up to him, placing a hand on his shoulder and saying, “First of all, stop trying to get her killed all the time. Then maybe you could ask her out and tell her how you feel.” 

“Is that part really necessary?”

“Unless you want someone else to swoop in and take her.” Tony deadpanned, trying to knock some more sense into the super soldier.

“It’ll be a cold day in hell when (Y/N) allows any man to swoop in on her.” The two heard, freezing and whipping around, only to relax when they saw a smirking Natasha. 

Her hair was still wet, dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a t-shirt. Walking up to Steve, she continued, “I do agree with what Tony has to say though. You aren’t with Sharon anymore, she isn’t with anyone either. This is the time.” 

Steve nodded, knowing they were both right, but he knew he had to figure out what you said first. “I’ll do it, I just need to figure out one small thing.” 

Natasha raised an eyebrow at his words and he realised she might have known what you said, “(Y/N) said te iubesc to me before falling. What does it mean?” 

Natasha shook her head no, shrugging her shoulders before asking, “No, is it important?” 

Steve shook his head, feeling that Natasha was not being completely honest with him, but he chose not to push it further. “I came to call you back, we’re done.” Natasha said, already starting to head back.

Tony clapped Steve on the back before saying, “Maybe she can take a dip with you later if you play your cards right. God knows you need a more fun partner.”

Steve felt the blood rush to his cheeks, the testosterone-fuelled part of his brain again working in overdrive and starting to form pictures of you reaching out to him, this time submerged in the water. He caught sight of you, now clothed and he forced himself not to sigh. He was supposed to be the team captain, and currently his mind was working like a horny teenager. Tony and Natasha were only partially to blame for this, and he saw you send him a glance as you stalked away with Natasha and Wanda, handing Tony your toiletries. 

Steve hurriedly stripped, discarding his suit into the pile along with everyone else’s, stepping into the water, a pleased moan leaving his mouth at the sensation of the water engulfing him. He turned just in time to see a naked Tony cannonballing into the water, the splashes hitting Steve in the face. Rolling his eyes at Tony’s immaturity, Steve started to scrub himself vigorously, hands grazing his semi-hard member. He had not even seen you naked, but the mental images were enough to get him going. Rolling his eyes at his body’s lack of cooperation, Steve continued to wash, gratefully scrubbing his hair with the shampoo. 

Once he was done, he took one last dip in the pool, staying under for a few seconds before emerging. Drying himself off as best as he could, he wore his chosen outfit- a worn pair of jeans and a white and blue plaid flannel. He heard Tony call out to the girls as he pulled on his own shirt. Turning around, he saw you emerge from the trees, flanked by Wanda and Natasha, looking particularly uncomfortable. 

~

As you headed back to the waterfall, you debated on what to do. You knew you had to find out whether your house was still intact, but you could not exactly leave the team without an explanation. You saw Steve and Tony, the former already folding all the discarded suits. Walking up to him, you said in a low voice, “Let me.” 

He stepped away and you snapped a finger, making the clothes fold themselves, conjuring up a bag and making them float into it. Before you could do anything else, Steve plucked the bag out of the air, swinging it onto his shoulder and you sent him a nod. The team looked at you expectantly now, and you decided there was no time like the present, speaking up, “I’m sure you all can find your way back to the quinjet. I need to see to some things, I’ll join you all later.”

“You’re going off on your own? Why?” Wanda asked, worry seeping into her expression, what were you planning on doing?

“I need to investigate a few things, and I can’t expect you all to come with me, it’s unnecessary. Head back to camp, gather some apples on the way. I’ll return with proper food soon enough.” You explained, already starting to walk away when Steve grabbed onto your arm.

Turning, you sent him a glare for his move, even though his grip was gentle. “You aren’t just going to hunt. Whatever it is, we’ll come with you.” He insisted, and from his expression you knew it would be impossible to talk him out of it. 

Turning to the team, you saw them nod in agreement to his words and so you sighed, relenting to Steve’s demand. He let go of your arm and you started to walk to the trees, turning and heading left. The team was behind you, probably thinking about where you were taking them, but it barely concerned you. You had one goal- finding your home. The trees started to thin and you knew your field was close. Anticipation got the better of you and you started to sprint, the team on your heels as you rushed forward.

What you saw made you skid to a stop, eyes wide with shock. Your field was barren. The rainbow of flowers amidst the grass was gone, leaving patches of grey everywhere. It was as dull as a graveyard. This hurt you, the flowers had bloomed all year, even through the harshest of winters, underneath blankets of snow, how could they have withered? The team reached your sides, confused at your reaction to seeing the field. Wanda looked closer, eyes widening with realisation when she recognised the field from your memories, except this was the total opposite of what you had shown her. 

She wordlessly walked to you, hugging you tightly as your eyes never left the barren patch of land. Fear stabbed your heart, what if something equally terrible happened to your home, perhaps it was better to avoid finding out. As soon as the thought came, you pushed it away, knowing you had to see whatever had happened. 

Breaking away from Wanda, you slowly stepped onto the field, your shoes crunching over the withered blooms. You winced at the sound, trying to hold back your tears as you walked on ahead, the team following you. In the depth of your grief you did not notice the wind start to blow, did not catch the gentle hints of blue mist in the air as it circled over the field, making the grass sway. 

Too hurt to glance back, you walked ahead, knowing that after the next patch of trees you would see your home- or whatever remained of it. Behind your back, the team passed each other looks of concern, Wanda having explained the importance the field held to you and why seeing it in this state rendered you silent. 

Having prepared yourself for the razed remains of your beautiful home, you were left shocked when you saw the stone structure standing as proud as ever. “My home.” You choked out, knowing the team was probably confused, your voice full of emotion. 

The team gasped behind you, eyes widening. They had expected a cottage, not a charcoal grey manor, reminding them of a miniature Dracula’s castle. Tears welled up in your eyes again; your home was still intact. It was like no time had passed, you would walk inside to see your parents smiling at you, calling you for supper. This fact would have been suspicious, but your mind was clouded with nostalgia, and you kept staring at the familiar, yet simultaneously no longer familiar building. 

“What’s that?” You heard Natasha say, your eyes tearing away from your home and following to where her had pointed. 

There was a pile of flowers on the ground, looking fresh and covering something. This had not been there before. Confused, you rushed to it, ignoring the team’s protests. Once you reached it, you flicked your hand, making the flowers float away, falling to your knees and starting to wail at what the flowers revealed. The smooth granite headstones had the names of your parents etched in cursive, covered slightly by moss. 

The team reached your side instantly when they saw your reaction, Steve being particularly rattled. This was the first time he had seen you cry properly. Natasha held on to you tightly as you sobbed, Tony looking distressed as Wanda tried to read what the gravestones said, “Sorin Drakov. Selene Drakov.” 

Their names stabbed at your heart harder, your whole body shaking as your tears flowed. “My parents.” You whispered brokenly.

Tony shot a glance at Steve, expression even more worried and Steve’s heart ached for you. How he wished to hold you close and tell you everything would be okay, but he knew the circumstances of their death and knew words could not help heal you currently, so he stayed back, letting Natasha shush you. 

“Who left the flowers?” Tony mused out loud, making you pull away from Natasha. 

He was right, nobody lived here for miles. Your home had always been far away from the village- who could have buried your parents and then left flowers? You sprung up, adrenaline coursing through your veins and forehead creased in confusion. Steve took you in, your lashes looking longer from the tears, your skin flushed and your eyes bright. God, you were so beautiful it left him speechless. He was about to step to you, pull you into a hug when he saw your eyes shift to the side. The team’s gaze followed yours and to everyone’s surprise, several people emerged from behind the house, all dressed like villagers, more garlands of flowers still in their hands. 

They were as astonished to see the team, as the team was to see them. You shoved past everyone, wiping away your tears roughly as you called out harshly, “Ce afaceri ai la mormintele părinților mei?”

The effect of your words was immediate, the villagers started to cheer and laugh, rushing towards you all. You got into a defensive posture, not knowing their inentions as they surged forward. To your shock, the fell to their knees, heads bowing in submission as they chanted, ”Prințesa promisă s-a întors în sfârșit.” 

Just as you were about to shut down their claims of you being a princess, you felt a sharp pain rush through your head, your ears ringing. You started to see memories swim past your eyes, ones you recognised and ones you did not. Shutting your eyes tightly, you braced yourself as your forgotten memories started to reveal themselves, your body shaking at what was revealed. Opening your eyes again, you let out a winded breath. The villagers were right.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the chapter! Let me know what you thought in the comments, and do keep guessing what the reader is because while y'all are close, you aren't there yet ;). It is an obscure mythology reference, but you'll find out everything in the next chapter. 
> 
> Ce afaceri ai la mormintele părinților mei- (Romanian) what business do you have at my parents' graves  
Prințesa promisă s-a întors în sfârșit- (Romanian) the promised princess has finally returned
> 
> For now, stay safe, stay healthy and stay strong! You all are so amazing, see you next update lovelies!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello children I am back, not so soon but not so late either. I’m so thankful for all of your love and appreciation, we are about to hit 600 kudos, I cannot wait! Thank you so much to all of you who messaged me on tumblr, my account is AzureFangirl feel free to hit me up anytime! 
> 
> Translations are posted alongside the dialogues and italicised because theres a lot of lines in Romanian and I didn't want y'all scrolling up and down repeatedly.
> 
> Anyhoo enjoy! We are almost there now!

The world was spinning. You felt adrift. It was odd, feeling like you were being dragged to the ground, held back by shackles but at the same time feeling like you were floating past everything, up into the clouds. Wanda had not told you that remembering everything would feel like this. You wanted to fall to the ground because of how overwhelmed you were, but the expectant gazes of both the team and the villagers made you throw back your shoulders and stand tall.

“De ce ma numesti printesa?” You inquired. _(Why do you call me princess?)_

“Ești copilul soarelui și al lunii, moștenitorul Ileana.” Replied a middle-aged woman, raising her gaze to make eye contact with you, allowing you to see the hope and joy in her eyes. _(You are the child of the sun and the moon, the heir of Ileana.)_

”Ileana?” You questioned, not knowing why they knew about the woman from your childhood stories.

”Vino cu noi.” The same woman said, the villagers getting off their knees and walking towards your house. _(Come with us.)_

Turning back to the team, you could see they were confused out of their mind, even Natasha. She knew bits and pieces of Romanian, but what the villagers were speaking seemed to be archaic and she could barely catch any of the words, only understanding the name they said- Ileana. ”Trust me right now, don’t ask questions and follow me. Please.” You begged, Natasha and Wanda nodding, stepping to your side.

You directed your gaze to Steve and Tony. Both were hesitant, but finally relented and you breathed a sigh of relief, turning and following the villagers. Instead of using the front door like you expected them to, you saw them make a turn and head towards the side of the house. Your eyes widened with surprise when you saw a cellar door of sorts, the wooden doors wide open and steps leading down to a dark tunnel. You did not know this had been attached to your house and you conveyed your surprise to the villagers.

The woman who spoke to you just smiled mysteriously, gesturing for you to follow her. One by one, they descended the stairs and taking a deep breath, you followed. Knowing the team was hesitant, you ignited your hands, the flames lighting up the tunnel considerably. The villagers turned to you, starting to mutter something, which sounded a lot like blessings, while the team joined you.

They started to walk again and you followed, knowing how risky it was to blindly follow strangers down a dark place. But you were desperate. While your memories did return, some pieces in the puzzle were still missing- nothing was made clear about what you were yet. You needed to know more to understand what you had remembered. The tunnel was lined with crackling stone covered in moss, letting you know that it had been around ages before you had been taken. A few minutes passed of walking in silence, you were about to lose patience and ask where they were taking you when the villagers skidded to a stop. Rushing forward, you saw a heavy wooden door, which they pushed open.

It opened up into a large room, lit with hundreds of candles. Extinguishing your hands, you looked around. It was large, with high arched ceilings and it reminded you of a church. The team was looking around now, clearly looking shocked. Turning to the woman, you were about to ask what this place was when she bowed to you. Taking your hand and kissing it, she said, ”Sunt Mirta, prinţesă.” _(I am Mirta, princess.)_

You nodded at her, silently urging her to continue. ”Tu esti descendentul Ileana Cosânzeana. Ea era prințesa noastră cu vârstele în urmă. Cea mai frumoasă dintre zâne; ochii ei arătau ca soarele, trupul ei era ca marea și hainele erau făcute din flori. Perlele și aurul îi curgeau din gură când cânta. Și-a folosit puterea magiei albe pentru a vindeca. Ea a personificat desăvârșirea umanității. chiar și vântul a iubit-o pe Ileana, dar nu a putut să o prindă niciodată.”_ (You are the descendant of Ileana Cos__ânzeana. She was our princess ages ago. The most beautiful amongst the fairies; her eyes looked like the sun, her body was like the sea and her garments were made of flowers. __Pearls and gold flowed out of her mouth when she sang. She used her power of white magic to heal. She personified the perfection of humanity. Even the wind loved Ileana, but he could never catch her.)_

Before she could continue, you raised your hand abruptly, your mind reeling with what she said. How could you be a descendant of Ileana Cosânzeana? She was like the Disney princess of Romania, a figure in fairy tales. That was the way your mother had talked about her, and when she said you were like her you had assumed it was just to humour a child’s fantasies. But this was ridiculous.

“Am nevoie de dovezi.” You demanded, your tone imperative and your expression steely. _(I need proof.)_

Mirta nodded seeing your worry and gestured for you to follow her. She walked up to an altar at the end of the room and when you looked at the mural they were praying to expecting to see the Virgin Mary, you were shocked to see yourself. The team heard your gasp, rushing to you only to mimic your actions. There was a mural of you on the wall, looking like it had been there for centuries. The woman was almost identical to you, the only differences being her hair that reached her feet and her eyes. They were golden.

Seeing the picture was apparently the last straw for Tony. He had been holding back all his remarks, especially when the villagers looking like extras of some historic film appeared out of thin air, but this was too much. ”Can someone please tell me what the fuck is going on? Before I have an aneurysm. I need to know who these people are, I need to know what this place is and most of all I need to know why the fuck you are on a wall (Y/N)!”

You winced, Tony resorting to yelling by the time he finished speaking and you took a deep breath, not knowing how to start. A quick glance at the other team members showed that Tony had vocalised what they all were thinking and you knew they deserved answers. “That’s me. Well somewhat. That’s my ancestor Ileana Cosânzeana.” You replied, trying to discern everyone’s reactions to what you said.

“(Y/N). Why are you saying her name like that? You need to tell us everything.” Steve said gently, stepping forward.

Before you could respond, you heard Mirta gasp behind you. “Făt-Frumos! Fireşte! Cum nu am observat?” _(__Făt-Frumos! Of course! How did I not notice?)_

Your glare prevented her from saying anything else, and you faced the team again. Closing your eyes so you would not have to see them, you started to speak, “Ileana Cosânzeana was like the princess in every fairy tale. She was supposed to be the representation of good in the world and she had magic powers, which she used to help and heal people. According to them, I am her direct descendant. That’s her mural on the wall, I just look like her.”

Opening your eyes again, you saw the team looking more confused if possible. You continued to tell them whatever Mirta told you and as Tony started to ask a question, you raised your hand to stop him, turning back to Mirta and asking, “De ce l-ai sunat Făt-Frumos?” _(Why did you call him Făt-Frumos?)_

“Pentru că el este. el este al vostru iar tu ești al lu.” _(Because he is. He is yours and you are his.)_

“Nu spune asta. Spune-mi despre mine.” You demanded, not wanting to focus on what Mirta had just said to you. _(Do not say that. Tell me about me.)_

She nodded, turning to the mural and touching it reverently, a soft smile on her face. “Ne-am închinat și după mulți ani a ales să plece. Ea a promis oamenilor noștri moștenitorul său va veni să o ia. Moștenitorul va vindeca lumea. iar în sfârșit sunteți aici pentru a lua sabia și a lupta pentru noi toți.” _(We worshipped her and after many years she chose to leave. She promised our people her heir would come and take her place. The heir would heal the world. And now finally you are here to take up her sword and fight for all of us.)_

“Nu pot.” You replied, overwhelmed by the expectations Mirta and the rest had for you, realising the sword over your fireplace had probably been Ileana’s. _(I cannot.)_

“Este destinul tău. Ni s-a promis. Trebuie să fi simțit o creștere a puterilor tale după ce te-ai întors. Ne veți salva de mari rele. Stiu asta.” Mirta replied, the absolute beleif and conviction in her voice scaring you. (_It is your destiny. You were promised to us. You must have felt a rise in your powers after you returned. You will save us from great evils. I know it.)_

How could you be Ileana’s heir? From what Mirta has just said, and what you remembered your parent’s telling you, she was good. In fact she was like the world’s saviour, the best person one could be. How could an ex assassin who had killed more people than she could count ever fill in those shoes? Literally anyone else would be better suited to the role. The only similar thing between you and Ileana was looks. Otherwise, you were poles apart and represented two opposite ideals, were from different worlds.

Yet, Mirta’s words did make sense. Everything she had told you was true. You had experienced a surge in your powers as soon as you landed back, they way Ileana was described also matched what your mother used to tell you. It was all fitting in. But then, how on earth could you be the world’s saviour? It was making you panic. These people had been waiting for centuries for the promised one, but you could not be it. You were the stark opposite of what they needed, of what the world needed.

There was also the fact that Mirta thought Steve was Făt-Frumos, the prince charming to your princess. Ileana and Făt-Frumos were supposed to be something akin to soul mates. He was strong, courageous, just and pure and was supposed to face tests and obstacles. Eventually, he would save Ileana and they would be married. This again led you to another scary realisation, your heart pounding as you asked Mirta, “Zmeu. Este el real?” _(Zmeu. Is he real?)_

You saw her face cloud over before she nodded and you started to swear. Great. Just fucking great. That was the final nail in the coffin, and you wanted to scream in frustration. Not only were you supposed to be the world’s saviour, Steve was also supposed to be your soul mate in all of this, and the cherry on top was the fact that Zmeu, the dragon that was the mortal enemy of Ileana Cosânzeana also existed. Apparently fighting villains was not enough; you would now have to deal with a dragon sooner or later.

Mirta could see how worried you looked and she stepped closer to you, hesitating before taking your hand in hers in an act of comfort. “Nu disperați printesa. nu vă putem forța. Ia toate acestea în ritmul tău. Am așteptat eoni; putem aștepta un pic mai mult.” _(Do not despair princess. We can’t force you. Take all of this at our own pace. We waited for aeons; we can wait a little longer.)_

You sent her a weak smile, your gaze shifting to the team. They stuck out in this place, and it conflicted you. It was like your two worlds were colliding, but not well. You had to explain everything to the team eventually, but you were not going to mention anything about Zmeu or Făt-Frumos. The former because they would worry, and the latter because you did not want Steve to know. How could you tell him that he was supposed to be your destined love? You wanted him to fall for you because he wanted to, not because he knew he had to. Besides, you had planned on helping him clear things up with Sharon returned, and you knew it was the right thing to do.

You told Mirta that you wanted to go into your house and she nodded, telling the villagers she would be back. They bowed at you before busying themselves by kneeling in front of the mural and starting to pray fervently, thanking Ileana for sending her heir back. You tried to ignore this, gesturing for the team to follow you back outside.

The walk back was quiet, you could tell the team was burning with millions of questions but you decided that you would answer them after figuring everything out yourself. Stepping back outside, the sun glared into your eyes. Taking a deep breath, you walked to the front door, Mirta and the team following you. Opening it, you walked inside expecting to see a wreck, surprised when you saw the pristine interiors. Everything was the same, the dark baroque furniture, the elaborate curtains, the stone walls covered in paintings and the dark crystal chandelier. The hallway had a large portrait and you rushed to it, tears filling your eyes when you saw your parents, holding onto you when you were an infant.

The team took this in, eyes widening when they saw the resemblance you had with the people in the painting before turning to examine the rest of the house. The interiors again resembled something out of a Dracula novel, and the team looked at their surroundings in surprise. You gingerly stroked the painted faces of your parents, smiling sadly before turning to the left, walking into the room from where you had been taken. You expected to see bloodstains on the floor, but were relieved to see the wood was spotless.

“Curățăm casa la fiecare câteva săptămâni.” Mirta explained and you nodded thankfully at her, your eye catching the unlit fireplace and what hung above it. _(We clean the house every few weeks.)_

Treading up to it slowly, you gazed at the gleaming sword that hung on the wall. Like everything else in the house, it was still the same. It was huge; a claymore that you estimated would reach your upper waist. The hilt was dark, a large sapphire the size of a golf ball stuck onto it along with ancient runes engraved into it. You knew the legends surrounding the sword; it could cut through anything and vanquish evildoers in all the stories you were told. Ileana alone wielded it, and it could only be held by whomever she allowed. It was said those who were not allowed and still tried experienced excruciating pain, enough to knock them down on their knees.

Knowing it would be a perfect test; you steadied yourself before reaching out for it, unhooking it from the wall and giving it an experimental swing. The sword was light in your hand despite its size, and it felt effortless to use. The feeling you had been experiencing about your weapons being inadequate made perfect sense now, this sword was supposed to be your true weapon. It certainly felt like an extension of your own body.

Placing it back, you turned to Mirta and said, “Vă sunt îndatorat pentru că am avut grijă de toate atât de mult timp.” (I am indebted to you for taking care of everything for so long.)

”A fost datoria mea.” Mirta replied earnestly, beaming at you. _(It was my duty.)_

While you wanted to explore the rest of your house, a glance out the window showed you that it was almost evening and you knew you had to take the team back to the helicarrier. They needed to rest and eat, as well as be given time to take everything in. ”Head outside guys, I’ll join you in a minute and we’ll head back.” You said, knowing Tony wanted to disagree, but a pleading look in Natasha’s direction took care of that as she herded the team out.

Facing Mirta, you explained, ”Știu că m-ați așteptat, dar nu pot fi ceea ce vreți. Nu acum. Am nevoie de timp pentru a mă gândi la asta și pentru a mă înțeleg. Mi-am promis că voi lucra cu acești oameni și asta este o prioritate pentru mine acum. Dar promit că mă voi întoarce.” _(I know you waited for me, but I can’t be what you want. Not now. I need time to think about this and understand myself. I’ve promised to work with these people and that is a priority for me right now. But I promise I will be back.)_

You meant what you said and you could see Mirta was disappointed, but she still sent you a smile before replying, “Inteleg printesa. Noi vom aștepta. Dacă crezi că este potrivit, ia sabia cu tine.” _(I understand princess. We will wait. If you think it’s right, take the sword with you.)_

You nodded gratefully at her words, debating for a moment before rushing forward and hugging her tightly. She hugged you back, before pulling away and bowing her head at you. You glanced at the sword, the glint on its blade calling out to you, but you shook your head gently. Mirta took your hand, escorting you out the house where you saw the team waiting for you. Smiling at Mirta, you thanked her for everything once again before stepping towards the team. Joining them, you started to walk back in the direction of the quinjet, sending a glance back to see Mirta standing at the door, watching you leave.

You felt guilty disappointing her like this, but you knew you could not just accept your reality immediately. You walked past the trees, wanting to avoid crossing your field and seeing its current state but you knew it was the shortest way back. As you neared it, the wind blew gently and the smell of wild flowers filled your nose. Eyes widening, you sprinted forward to see your field in full bloom again, covered with more flowers than ever that swayed gently in the breeze.

Of course. Ileana could also make flowers grow and give them their scent, which explained why your field had healed, as well as the existence of the three flowers growing on the Compound lawn.

Wanda laughed aloud in joy upon seeing the flowers, bending down and picking a handful, smelling them and smiling at the fragrance. “You did this sestra. It’s beautiful.” Natasha whispered, and you nodded at her.

Heart light, you walked through the field and past your waterfall, downstream till you were back to the quinjet. You all had picked apples along the way and taken more water. You had offered to hunt but the team insisted the apples were fine. In the end you relented, feeling winded after the day’s events. As soon as you reached the quinjet, you had dropped to the ground to rest, staring at the Carpathians to keep you centred as your mind wandered. After giving the team a brief explanation of what you were, you requested to be left alone for a while, and they agreed. Tony had been tinkering away inside the pilot’s bay, Wanda and Vision sitting side by side inside the quinjet while Natasha rested.

Steve had gone inside to check up on Sam before heading back to where you were. He had stayed quiet at everything that happened, knowing you needed the team’s support. He thought seeing your waterfall was already too personal, but being inside the home you grew up in, seeing your parent’s portrait and their graves and seeing the mural, Steve felt like he suddenly knew much more about you. Your resemblance to the mural was uncanny and it even made sense that you were some sort of princess. It was definitely one of the strangest things he had heard in his life, but it still made sense. How else could one explain your powers, your looks, and your allure? Watching you swing that enormous sword made Steve believe it was what you were born to do.

He could tell by your reactions that you were clearly overwhelmed with being proclaimed saviour of the world, and it was justified. It was a lot to take in for him, and he was not even the one everyone had been waiting for. He wanted to talk to you, figure out how you were feeling as well as ask more questions but he hesitated, knowing you wanted to be alone. So he watched you from a distance as you sat on the grass, hugging your knees to you and resting your chin on them as you gazed at the mountain range on the horizon.

Everyone had eaten already as it got darker, but you sat still. Steve was about to pick up an apple and head towards you when he heard Tony yelp. Both your head’s whipped in the direction of the quinjet as you saw Tony emerge looking ecstatic, holding onto a small device. “I did it!” He exclaimed and you sprung up, joining the team that now surrounded him.

“Did what?” You asked hesitantly, dreading his answer.

“I somehow accessed F.R.I.D.A.Y and had her inform Fury about her exact whereabouts. They’re sending an extraction party. It’ll be here by morning.” Tony explained, visibly proud of his achievement.

“Oh.” Was all you could manage to say before backing away from the team, their joyous expressions falling when they saw your distressed one.

You did not want to leave. Turning, you sat back down and continued to stare at the Carpathians again, knowing you would not be seeing them after tomorrow. You had just reached home, just learnt about what you were and now were leaving again. It was too soon, and while staying here confused you about your destiny, it was still home and leaving would only hurt. You were conflicted. Your sense of duty told you that you had to return with the team, you were an Avenger, but you knew your heart was in Romania. It would always be in Romania.

The team sent concerned glances your way, Steve about to walk to you when Natasha beat him to it. Apple in hand, she sat down next to you, handing you the fruit wordlessly. Taking it, you started to eat silently before Natasha offered, “You could stay. I’d handle Fury, just say the word.”

You turned to her, seeing the sincerity in her expression, knowing she did not want to be separated from you but was willing to do it for your happiness. Emotion clouding your eyes, you hugged her tightly before whispering, “I don’t know what to do. They expect me to be some prophesised hero, the representation of good in the world like she was, but we both know I am not it. Besides, I can’t just leave you all, you are family.”

“You don’t have to choose sestra. We’ll be here for you no matter what, and it looks like the villagers will too. I believe in you and they do too. You could not let us down even if you tried. It’s okay to feel overwhelmed after everything you just learned. If you come with us, it’s not like you can never come back here. If you choose to stay, it’s not like you’ll never see us again. So don’t worry.” Natasha comforted, her words providing you with much needed perspective.

You smiled, wanting to tell her about Steve apparently being Făt-Frumos so that she could comfort you through that too, but you stayed quiet. It was something you would keep to yourself for as long as you could. It was in no way relevant to the team and you did not think Steve needed to know this either. Finishing your apple, you saw how late it was, following Natasha inside the quinjet to sleep.

You had no dreams and this you were grateful for, waking up at the crack of dawn. Stretching, you walked to where Tony was asleep in a corner, seeing his device by his side. Picking it up, you saw that the extraction party would be here in little over an hour. Panic surged through you, while you had decided to return with the team, you knew you had to say a proper goodbye to your home.

Sending a quick glance to the team to check if they were still asleep, you rushed outside and started to sprint towards the trees. You currently ignored the path to your waterfall, instead rushing forward till you reached the base of the mountain range. Glancing upwards, you could barely see the snow covered peak amidst the clouds. Taking a deep breath and bracing yourself, you started to run upwards, climbing up the steep mountain until you reached a reasonable height. The cold wind whipped against you and you directed your gaze to the next mountain on the range.

Inhaling deeply once again, you took a few steps back before rushing forward and leaping. You felt yourself fly though the air, heart pumping and blood rushing through you. You felt alive and heard yourself laugh aloud before landing onto the mountain. Turning, you took in the distance you had leaped before letting out a triumphant whoop. You could still do it.

Descending the mountain, you rushed through the trees and skidded to a stop when you saw your field. Dropping to the ground, you started rolling through it, laughing again as you felt the flowers caress you. Picking handfuls, you headed to the direction of your house, wanting to say your last goodbyes before you left. You had convinced yourself you would be back soon, but just in case you were not, you wanted to visit your parent’s graves. Your house came into sight and you walked past it to the gravestones.

Placing the bunches of flowers amidst the rest, you spoke softly, “I love you both and there’s not a day that goes by when I don’t miss you. I am so sorry that you both passed away because of me, I will not rest until every one of your killers burns in hell. I know who you both wanted me to be, and I’ll try to live up to your expectations. Rest in ease.”

Resting your forehead against the gravestones for a second, you closed your eyes, relishing the cold granite. Getting back up, you knew you had to get back. About to run off, you thought for a second before walking back to your house. Inside, you started to rummage through the rooms till you found what you were looking for. It was two small portraits of your parents, one of your father and one of your mother. Snapping your fingers to make a bag appear, you stowed the pictures away and headed to the fireplace.

The sword was calling to you again, louder this time. You knew what you needed to do. Reaching out for it, you held it up before saying, “Let me honour Ileana Cosânzeana’s memory and use it for the greater good.”

Finding its scabbard, you sheathed the sword, debating how to hide it when you saw it shrink in your hands, now the size of a small dagger. It then turned invisible and your eyes widened, of course the magic sword cooperated with you. Stashing it away into the bag, you were tempted to somehow pack away your home and take it with you but you knew it was not possible. You trusted Mirta and the rest to look after everything here till your return.

Walking outside, you shut the door of your house, leaning against it for a second and sighing. Steeling yourself, knowing the team might be searching for you, you broke off into a run, flying past the trees and not glancing back, fearing if you did, you would never want to leave. Keeping your tears at bay, you reached the team just in time to see them emerging from the quinjet, their eyes already on the horizon where you could faintly make out two quinjets whizzing towards you all.

It was an unspoken rule that nothing of what had been discovered would be mentioned to S.H.I.E.L.D for the time being and you walked to Natasha, reaching out for her hand, which she extended. Wrapping her fingers around yours, she squeezed your hand comfortingly as the quinjets started to land. The effect was immediate. A handful of agents started rushing out towards you all, checking each of your vitals before Tony guided them to Sam inside. They carefully shifted him onto a stretcher, carrying him along with all of your bags onto one quinjet.

Apparently they expected you all to travel separately, but Tony rudely took charge, starting to throw his weight around and making them surrender one quinjet to you all while they all were supposed to travel in the other, all the while carrying the remains of the broken quinjet so it could be repaired. You saw the agents hook the broken quinjet onto theirs before stepping inside, waiting for Tony to take-off.

Watching the team step onto the quinjet, you turned around to take in your home one last time. Taking deep breaths to calm yourself, you slowly backed on to the quinjet, your grip on your bag tight. The hatch started to close and the last thing you saw was the Carpathian mountains standing tall and proud. Joining Tony in the pilot’s bay, you dropped onto a chair, sighing deeply as he made the quinjet fly up. “Hurry.” Was the only thing you requested before you rested your head down, closing your eyes and drifting off.

~

When you woke up again, you saw Natasha flying instead of Tony and she threw you a smile, which you did not return. She informed you that Stark Tower was minutes away and you nodded. You noticed your knuckles were sore from holding onto your bag tightly for so long and you sighed, already missing home. Despite everything that had happened, you were grateful that you got the chance to go back and discover who you were.

It felt surreal as Natasha landed onto the roof. It felt like you had been gone forever, like enough events to last a lifetime had occurred in the time you all had been away, and in a way that feeling was correct. Walking to the seating bay, you made your things float beside you before stepping off and taking a deep breath. It was late in the afternoon and you watched Tony dramatically descend onto the roof, not concealing his joy about being back while his team carefully escorted Sam to the med wing.

His display was cut short when he heard his phone ring, muttering a curse when he saw it was from Fury, attending it to hear the director say that there would be a meeting in the tower in a few hours to discuss the mission. Tony groaned, informing this to you all and you wanted to jump off the roof. You had barely got back and all you wanted to do was burrow in bed and wallow in self-pity and let yourself feel distressed.

You all headed to the elevator, everyone getting off on your respective floors. Natasha did not attempt to strike conversation, telling you she was going to take a bath and lie down for a while after talking to Clint. Nodding at her, you walked to your room. Deciding a bath was not a bad idea, you placed all your things onto the bed, walking into the bathroom and stripping, stepping into the tub and setting the water to boiling.

The temperature was comforting and you relaxed in the water for a while, forcing yourself not to think of anything. Shampooing your head and scrubbing yourself gently, you stayed in the bath till the water turned cold. Stepping out and drying yourself, you changed into a long sleeved black t-shirt and a matching pair of cotton shorts that stopped at your mid thighs.

Walking back into your room, you started to manually unpack everything, putting away your used clothes into the laundry basket. Once you were done, you turned to the remaining bag. Carefully removing the portraits, you placed them on your dresser so you could see them when you woke up. As for the sword, you felt around for it before taking it out, seeing that it was visible again, although the size remained small. Walking out to your study, you placed it into one of the drawers of your desk, wanting it to be out of sight.

Heading back to your room, you flopped onto the bed to see if you were sleepy. You were not. Sitting up and wearing a pair of slippers, you walked to the elevator, pinning away some of your semi-dry hair with a clip. Pressing the button for the living room and kitchen, you leaned against the elevator door until it dinged. Getting off, you debated on what to eat before shrugging and opening the fridge to take out a tub of ice cream. Not bothering with a bowl, you grabbed a spoon and got onto the kitchen island, crossing your legs and placing the tub between them before starting to eat.

Just as the tub was about to finish, you heard the elevator ding, seeing Steve get off along with Wanda, Vision and Natasha. Wanda and Natasha walked up to you and you sent them a nod, jumping off the counter and asking, “How is Sam?”

“He’s better now. The doctor’s are glad you healed him when you did and that we let him stay asleep, he should be awake by tomorrow.” Wanda informed you and you smiled in relief.

“Tony’ll be here in a bit. The meeting will start any minute.” Natasha informed you, and just as she finished the elevator dinged again.

Expecting to see Tony, you tried to control your reflex to projectile vomit when you saw Sharon get off the elevator. Following Wanda and Natasha to where Steve sat with Vision on the couches, you observed how Steve would react to Sharon. He went stiff, but ever the gentleman, got up to greet her. At first she sent him a cold look but then rushed to capture him into a hug, which he reciprocated. This hurt you and you tried to stay expressionless as you neared everyone.

Pulling away, Sharon typed away at her tablet screen and Fury’s hologram popped up. “I’m glad to see you all back. I won’t ask for the specifics, because you will be sending in a detailed report by tomorrow. Now before I continue, where the fuck is Stark?”

At this point, Tony rushed off the elevator, calling out his apology. “You are late.” Fury stated.

“Yeah well why don’t you try dealing with Pepper and explaining to her why I disappeared off the face of the earth.” Tony snapped.

“Anyways, now that you are all here, I want to commend you for bringing down the Hydra base. It would have been a perfect mission had you all not crashed and disappeared, but we can cover that up. Pull shit like that again, and I’ll personally beat your asses.” Fury said before his hologram disappeared.

You started walking to the elevator, catching Sharon ask Steve to go out with her for lunch. Not bothering to hear his reply, you made the elevator doors close, letting out a frustrated groan when you felt tears well up in your eyes. Walking back to your wing, you did not even bother to enter your bedroom, dropping onto the couch in your study, wanting to lie still for a while.

~

Steve was glad to be back, immediately showering and unpacking, wearing a comfortable pair of sweats and a white shirt. The file he obtained from the Hydra base, he locked away in his safe despite being tempted to go through it. He still had to make it up to you before he ever looked at it. Instead, he started sifting through some of his paperwork, finding comfort in performing mundane tasks again after everything.

His mind shifted to you, remembering what you had said to him. Finding a scrap of paper, he wrote it down, hoping the spelling was correct. He was about to search it up and see what it meant when he saw the time, knowing Fury would have the meeting. Pocketing the paper, he walked to the elevator, and stepped inside to see Wanda, Vision and Natasha already there. Getting off, he saw you sitting atop the counter and he willed himself not to stare at your legs.

Instead he made himself comfortable on the couch, debating how he should tell you about his feelings. His fear of being rejected still lingered at the back of his mind, along with the fact that it could ruin whatever friendship you had. Taking out the paper, he started to stare at it intently, hoping that prolonged staring would magically translate the words. Vision noticed, asking him what the paper in his hand was.

As Steve was about to reply, the elevator dinged and he saw Sharon get off, stiffening immediately. Getting up, he saw her walk towards him before embracing him and he reciprocated, not wanting to seem rude. Thankfully, before she could speak, Fury’s hologram appeared. Steve only paid half attention, his eyes on you the whole while.

When the call finished, the team starting to disperse. He saw you head to the elevator and was about to call out to you when Sharon asked him for lunch. Turning to her, he shook his head no, only for Sharon to scowl and nod stiffly. Turning back, Steve sighed when he saw you had already left. Walking off to the kitchen, he took out the piece of paper again, staring at it.

Assuming he was alone, he was surprised to look up and see Vision looking at him curiously. “Why are you looking at it like that?” The robot asked.

Steve shrugged, before realising Vision might be able to translate what was written. “Could you tell me what it says? It’s really important.” Steve asked as he handed the paper to the robot, eyes hopeful.

“Te iubesc?” Vision questioned after examining the paper.

Steve nodded eagerly in reply, urging the robot to hurry, “Well?”

“It’s Romanian. It means I love you.” Vision replied matter-of-factly.

Steve’s heart stopped, eyes almost popping out of his head. Oh god. You loved him. That was the last thing you said to him before you saved his life and sacrificed yourself. He could feel his heart soar, the hallelujah chorus ringing in his ears and he started beaming. The pieces started to fall in to place, that was why you were always annoyed at him for talking to Sharon, why you pretended to not know the piano, why he was having those dreams. “Are you sure that’s what it says Vis?” Steve begged, wanting to be sure.

“Yes, positive. What are you doing?” Vision asked, seeing Steve slide over the counter before dashing across the room.

“I have to go!” Was all Steve yelled as he rushed into the elevator.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, it was such fun to write, especially the bits explaining stuff about Ileana. Anyways you can google her up along, the description is all real I’ve just garnished a few things to go with the plot. 
> 
> Let me know what you think in the comments, and I will see you next update lovelies!


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello friends, I am back sooner than expected, just because I did not want to leave you all on that cliffhanger! I enjoyed writing the previous chapter so much and I am so thankful for all the love and appreciation you guys have given. We are now at 600 kudos, someone please pinch me. 
> 
> (Also for the Star wars fans there's a lil note and question at the end please answer it thankyou)
> 
> And now, for the moment you have all been desperately waiting for- SMUT! 
> 
> Enjoy!

Steve could not press the close button on the elevator fast enough. He was full of adrenaline, wanting to just reach you immediately and tell you how he felt. Looking at the multiple buttons, he started to mildly panic when he realised he had no idea where you were. 

He started racking his brain trying to remember what floor your room was on, about to give up and call Tony to ask when he remembered you had gotten off on the twelfth floor after returning from the Roosevelt mission. Hope and bile bubbling up in him, he almost broke the button with the intensity he pressed it, starting to pace as the elevator began its descent. Seconds passed like aeons for him and when he finally heard the elevator ding, it was like the sweetest sound in history. 

Rushing out, he stopped in the hallway when he saw two doors, one on the left and one on the right. Which one were you in? Straining his ears, he focused on what he could hear. There was a heartbeat coming from the left side while the right was empty. Hoping to God he made the correct choice, he walked over to the door, debating on whether he should knock or not. Deciding it was the polite thing to do, he rapped twice on the door. When he heard no response, he gently opened the door, stepping inside and looking around. 

The room was neat, practically unused and he was about to leave when he saw your sleeping form on the couch. There you were. He walked up to you, wanting to shake you awake and admit his love for you, but as he stepped closer and saw the serene expression on your face, he knew he could not. He instead bent down on his knees so he could be at eye level with you, eyes grazing over your closed lids that covered the eyes that haunted him, your lashes so long they framed your cheekbones, your rosy lips pursed slightly. 

You shifted, your hair falling over your face and without thinking, Steve reached out to brush it away. He was so busy admiring you, he forgot how much of a light sleeper you were and he almost fell to his back when your eyes snapped open. 

Waking up to Steve’s face inches from yours may have been an age long fantasy, but actually seeing him in front of you made you wary. What was he doing in your room? You sat up and he shifted back, still on his knees for some reason. Raising an eyebrow at his behaviour, you moved to get up and walk into your bedroom when his hands shifted to the sides of your legs, essentially trapping you on the couch with him in front. Now you were genuinely concerned, what was he up to? “What is the meaning of this?” You demanded, making sure your tone did not waver despite the close proximity. 

Steve knew one kick from you would slam him against the wall, so he took it as a sign that you did not try to escape his trap, instead asking him what he was trying to do. Wanting to not miss this sliver of opportunity, he started to lean towards you, thinking of something witty to say. “I’ve been dreaming about you.”

As soon as the words left his mouth, he wanted to slap himself. Of all the things he could have said, he had to end up sounding like a creep. He tried to discern your expression, but as usual your face was a neutral mask. The only hint he got that you had even heard what he said was when he saw your brows furrow slightly. Deciding to continue, he gathered up his courage, hoping his upcoming words would be smoother than the previous ones, “I dream about us. Together.”

“Ah.” Was all you said, not believing what was happening, hoping your face was not red. 

“And I don’t want to dream about it.” 

Ah perfect. He was rejecting you. How lovely. You were about to push him away when you saw him take a deep breath, readying himself before saying, “I want it to be a reality. I want us to be a reality.” 

Steve finally spat it out, hoping his gentle tone would not startle you despite the revelation. He watched your face, starting to worry when you did not react, his mind running as he started to suspect Vision had mistranslated. Thinking up ways to apologise for the misunderstanding, he wanted to melt into the ground and disappear. His thoughts were cut short when you crashed your lips onto his after whispering, “Fucking finally.” 

For a second he did not know how to react, but then he realised you were finally kissing him. His hands left your sides, finding their way to the back of your head as he started to kiss you back, your lips incredibly soft against his. You tasted faintly of strawberries and he felt himself lean forward to be closer to you. 

Kissing Steve was incredible and your hands immediately tangled themselves in his hair, pushing your body closer as he leaned forward. When he pulled away breathing heavily, all you could do was take in his dishevelled appearance. His cheeks were flushed, his hair messed from all the tugging and his breathing was erratic. It made you smirk, you had barely done anything and this man was already coming undone. Your smirk clearly unnerved him and taking advantage of that, you stood up, stroking his hair and walking past him to the direction of your bedroom, making sure your hips swayed as you sauntered to the door. 

Sending a glance back over your shoulder, you saw him still on his knees, facing you now, eyes dark and full of desire. You gave him your best ‘come hither’ look, inclining your head towards the open door before walking inside, not needing to look back to know he was rushing to follow you. 

Once inside, you leaned against the wall, letting him look around your room. He took everything in, eyes pausing at the portraits he saw of your parents before finally turning back to you. Realising he was too much of a gentleman to make the first move, you stood up straight, starting to walk towards him, eyes never leaving his. Now that you were inches apart, you could smell his shampoo, see the stitching in his t-shirt and hear his heart. 

You titled your head back as if to ask whether he was going to make a move, and Steve finally stopped admiring you, his hands coming to rest on your waist before he tugged you closer, starting to kiss you. The kiss was sweet, and you let him take charge, allowing his tongue to swirl past your lips to find yours. You returned his ardour, feeling the pit of your stomach twist into knots that were not exactly uncomfortable. Wanting more, your hands found their place in his hair again, tugging him closer to you, hoping he got the hint. 

Apparently not. Steve was just fine with kissing you passionately, and when you pulled away, he thought he made a mistake. Was this too fast for you? His question was answered when you gripped the collar of his shirt, expression distasteful as you gave it a tug, a smile slowly spreading across your face when you heard the material rip, exposing his deliciously toned chest. Steve now understood he was not fast enough. Removing the ripped remnants of his shirt and letting it drop to the ground, he was about to step forward when he saw you cock your head, observing him with a smile. 

God that man was fine. You watched his chest move as he inhaled, his muscles rippling. You could stare at him forever, but right now you wanted to see more of him. You were about to give the same treatment to his sweatpants when he realised what you were about to do. Pulling them down and stepping out of the material, he now stood in just his black briefs that hid his semi-erection. One hand on his toned bicep, you gently pushed him back so he dropped onto the bed. He sat up immediately, perched at the edge and you walked to him, dropping to your knees. 

You had never had sex, but you had been on enough assignments that required you to seduce the target, and the Room had drilled you with lessons on how to entice a man. While you had never let the targets touch you, you had enough experience with the male appendage to know what you were doing. A glance up at Steve showed his eyes full of lust, hands gripping your mattress so tight his knuckles were white. It boosted your confidence to see him react this way to you, and you exhaled slowly, letting your breath hit his clothed crotch, watching him squirm uncomfortably. 

Seeing his briefs getting uncomfortable, you reached for the waistband. Steve raised his hips, letting you slide it off as his dick sprang to attention. An almost imperceptible eyebrow raise from your part let him know that you were impressed. And impressed you were. You had jokingly done the maths one day, stating that since the serum had doubled Steve’s body, it probably had done the same to his dick. You had not been wrong. 

Facing a girthy twelve-inch cock should have intimidated you, but you were determined. Giving it an experimental tug, you felt it stiffen even further in your grip. Thumb tracing the tip to lubricate it with the beads of leaking precum, your hand shifted down to the base of the shaft as you leaned forward. Steve’s breathing hitched when you took him into your mouth, his grip on your mattress tightening. You started to go lower, trying to see how far you could take him. You had once bragged about not having a gag reflex, but now after taking his length halfway down your mouth, you were starting to choke. What you did not expect was for Steve to let go of the mattress, his hand coming to rest at the back of your head to guide you lower, his voice husky as he whispered, “Good girl.” 

His deep voice made your stomach lurch and encouraged by his words, you attempted to take more of him in, your mouth sliding down another inch or so. Knowing you could not take more, you started to move your head back and forth, making sure to swirl your tongue on the underside of his length, your hand stroking the parts your mouth could not reach. His grip on your head was feather light, he let you move at your own volition and you realised how much you enjoyed sucking his dick and hearing the little sighs he made. 

You would have continued but his hands were on your shoulders, pushing you away gently and you heard a loud pop as his cock left your mouth. You thought you heard him swear under his breath, and you were about to make a sassy remark when he pulled you close, making you straddle him as his hands wrapped around your torso. Kissing you again, his hands started rubbing your sides. Pulling away and resting his forehead against yours, he whispered, “My turn.” 

He leaned in again, kissing the corner of your mouth now before moving lower, lining your jaw with kisses and making your stomach flutter. When his lips landed on the crook of your neck, you let out a loud moan. Gripping him tight, nails digging into his shoulders, you started to moan wantonly as he continued to kiss your sweet spot, sucking on the skin lightly to leave a bruise. Unable to help yourself, you started to grind against his erection, desperately wanting relief for the way you were feeling. It was the first time someone was having this effect on you and it was driving you crazy, and from the grunts Steve was making as you grinded against him, you knew he felt the same way. 

Lips now sucking on your collarbone to form another hickey, Steve found the hem of your shirt. He heard you whine slightly when he pulled away and he smiled to himself before starting to tug your shirt upwards. Pulling it off, he took in the sight of you in your lace bra for a second before his hands reached for its hook. It took him a few second to open it, and you threw away it away, Steve watching your breasts spill free. His mouth immediately latched onto one, starting to suck on the rapidly hardening nipple while his hand massaged the other. All you could do was arch your back, pulling him even closer as you moved your clothed core against him. He was making you feel good, oh so good and you moaned shamelessly. 

Not stopping his ministrations, his other hand tried to tug off your shorts. Realising what he was trying to do, you snapped your fingers so your remaining pieces of clothing disappeared off you, wanting to feel him skin to skin. Once he figured out what you had done, his mouth shifted to your other breast, his hand finding its way between your legs. His finger rubbed against your lips, swallowing a groan when he felt how wet you were. His finger pressed against your clit and he gave it a few experimental rubs, your gasp letting him know he was doing well. 

Delving a finger into your heat, he was surprised to feel how tight you were. You squirmed over him, wanting him to move, to do something and he took the hint, slowly starting to pump his finger in and out. You keened at his touch, almost bending over in pleasure when he curled his finger inside you, reaching your g-spot. “Please.” You whispered, surprised to find yourself begging for more stimulation, it was usually the other way round. 

Steve complied immediately, pushing another finger into you. It was a tight fit, and while it was initially uncomfortable, you soon started moaning again as he moved them, curling them occasionally and making your breathing hitch. Removing his fingers and pulling away from you, you watched him, about to complain at the lack of contact when he laid you down gently on the bed. His eyes had been full of lust earlier, and even now his gaze was dark, but it was laced with love and admiration. Your body was made for sin, no doubt, but you were also so beautiful. Steve admired your form, the swell of your breasts, your taut stomach and your long legs, your core slick and inviting. You were ethereal. 

Shifting so he was on top of you, his chest pressed against yours, he leaned down and started kissing you softly, fingers tracing your sides in a way that drove you insane. As he guided his member to your entrance, you pulled away from the kiss gently, nose nuzzling his as you said, “I’ve never gone this far before.” 

Your words surprised him; your confidence had led him to believe you were equally if not more experienced than him. Seeing your eyes earnest and your expression more vulnerable than he had ever seen before, he knew you were not lying. Kissing your cheek lightly, he responded, “We can stop.” 

“I don’t want us to.” You replied, tone steady and letting him know you were prepared. 

Nodding, he kissed you again, slowly starting to push into you. He tried to be as careful as possible, ignoring the animalistic instinct to just push into you hard and quick as he started to feel the first traces of pleasure. Instead he went slowly, till he felt resistance and he pulled away from the kiss to meet your eyes, seeing them full of trust. One gentle thrust and he felt your membrane tear, a small wince from you being the only reaction he got. Seeing as you did not look incredibly pained, he pushed forwards until his hips met yours and he was fully sheathed in you. 

You had never felt so full, like you were about to burst. Steve was enormous, almost too big and you tried to adjust to his size. He started to move, pulling out slowly and then pushing back in and your discomfort started to melt away into the most delicious type of pleasure. Soon, you were thrusting your hips upward to meet his movements, your moans breathless as one arm scratched down his expansive back, the other gripping his bicep. Steve was moaning too, albeit much lower than you as he started to increase his pace, having never felt such bliss. You tightened around him as he went faster and he could tell you were close. 

You felt like you were floating upwards, Steve’s thrusts pushing you into a dimension of previously unknown pleasure and you could feel yourself on the brink. You were arching your back, moans shifting into pleas as he moved faster and you felt your orgasm wash over you. Moaning his name, your nails pierced his skin as Steve kept thrusting into you, riding out your high with his movements. He could feel himself on the edge as you clenched around him and when he saw your mouth opened in the perfect ‘o’, eyes closed and cheeks flushed, he pushed in deep and found his release. 

You felt him come in you with warm spurts, his face dropping to kiss the valley of your breasts, making his way upwards to your now swollen lips. You kissed him back, in a state of absolute bliss and he slowly pulled out of you, watching your combined fluids start to slowly leak out. He made to get out of bed but your grip on his arm stopped him. “I’m getting something to clean you up.” He whispered, lips brushing against your forehead. 

Your heart melted at his words but you did not want him gone and so you snapped your fingers, a wet cloth appearing in Steve’s hands. He just smiled, starting to gently wipe away the excess fluids from your body before cleaning himself. Another snap of your fingers made the rag disappear and you watched him as he sat watching you. He had the biggest smile on his face and you could not help but mirror it. “I love you.” He said sincerely.

The words warmed your heart. Finally. Smirking at him, you replied, “Of course you do.” 

He chuckled, lying down and pulling you close to him. You hid your face in his chest, hiding your smile as his arm wrapped around you, pinning you to his side. You were happy with the silence, pressing occasional kisses to his chest as his fingers lightly traced your arm, your breaths in sync. He broke the silence, his tone light, “I’d like to take you out. Soon.” 

Shifting so your chin rested against his chest now, facing him, you raised an eyebrow. “I love you and I want you to be my girl.” 

“You must know I’m not exactly the dating type.” You replied, trying to bite back your smile.

His face fell for a moment and you decided to stop messing with him, leaning forward and kissing the tip of his nose before saying, “You can take me out any time you want, Captain.” 

He beamed at you and any reservation you felt about going on a date with him melted away. You started to kiss him again, feeling his member shift against your leg. Pulling away, you smirked at him before saying, “Round two. This time, pull my hair.”

~

After another rigorous session of lovemaking, Steve and you were blissfully tuckered out. Your stamina was as boundless as his and so the session lasted much longer than any of the soldier’s previous ones. Although you were new to most things intimacy related, Steve soon discovered you were a fast learner. You were extremely flexible thanks to your training, and he found himself not having to hold back like he would with Sharon. Now he watched as you got out of his embrace, getting off the bed and walking towards your dresser. It gave him no small sense of pride to see you limp ever so slightly. You brushed your hair, smoothing out the tangles created from your activities before turning to Steve. His arms crossed behind his head, he laid languorously on your bed as if he belonged there, his chest littered with marks you had left on him. 

Your own décolletage was no better, as you discovered the apparent ‘prude’ Captain loved to leave marks on his partners, not that you were complaining. You knew it would take you a second to heal the angry red hickeys, but you quite enjoyed seeing them on your skin, so you let them be. Slipping your discarded clothes on again, you picked up his pants and briefs, walking to him and saying, “Sorry about your shirt, I’ll fix it even if you look much better without one.” 

He chuckled again, his eyes crinkling at the sides slightly as he pulled on his clothes. As you walked over to his ripped shirt, about to fix it with a snap of your fingers, you heard him call out, “What does this make us?” 

Turning to face him, a teasing smile on your face you asked, “Isn’t that something I should be asking?” 

“Come on (Y/N), you know what I mean. I love you.” He insisted, walking closer to you. 

“I know you do Captain. We can be whatever you want us to be.” You said, handing him back his shirt.

He slipped it on as you remarked it was time for dinner. “I’d like to call you my girlfriend.” He said, his voice low and his tone hopeful.

Nodding and slipping his hand into yours, you answered, “Okay. I’m your girlfriend.” 

You started to lead him out the room, into the hallway and in the direction of the elevator and you glanced back to see a smile on his face. “Girlfriend.” He whispered to himself, smile getting even wider and your heart melted, you loved seeing this new side of Steve. 

Stepping into the elevator with him, you kissed his cheek before whispering, “By the way, I love you too.”

Steve knew how much of a foreign concept it was for you to be expressive of your feelings, and he felt he had been pushing his luck when he asked you to be his girlfriend, already happy to resign himself to the fact that you would only ever reply with ‘of course’ to his admissions of love, and so he felt his heart flutter when he heard you say you loved him. He wanted to hug you but he knew how you were with physical affection that was not initiated by you, and so he settled on happily squeezing your hand, his thumb tracing the back of your palm. 

The elevator dinged and as you stepped forward, hand never leaving his as you both walked to the dining table, the team already seated. Surprisingly enough they did not notice your intertwined hands, and you let go, taking your respective seats across each other. Tony raised his head to acknowledge you with a nod, about to return to his food when his head snapped up immediately. He took in the marks on your neck, eyes popping out of his head when he realised they were hickeys. Kicking Natasha from under the table, he gestured in your general direction and as you took a sip of your soup, you felt the redhead’s eyes on you as she elbowed Wanda to alert her to your marks. 

The team did not even think to glance at Steve, trying to figure out who gave you the hickeys until he asked you to pass him the salt. The team’s eyes snapped to him, and you smirked into your soup when you heard their audible gasps. Looking up with a neutral expression, you took in their comical expressions as their gazes whipped from Steve to you and then back as if in a loop. “What the fuck.” Tony said weakly, feeling dizzy and wondering whether he had somehow done another plethora of drugs like he used to in his twenties and was currently hallucinating this whole experience. 

Wanting to put the team out of their misery, you passed Steve the salt before saying, “Yes we fucked. Can you all focus on your food now?” 

Your words made Wanda squeal in excitement as Natasha beamed, Vision smiling to himself while Steve went red at your words, Tony looking like he was about to faint. The team gazed at Steve to give some sort of confirmation, and he nodded and said, “She’s my girl.” 

Natasha hugged your side, voice exuberant as she exclaimed, “Congratulations sestra.”

Thankfully, Tony snapped out of whatever he mood he was in as he said, “Finally. We were planning on shipping you both off to one of my islands so you could acknowledge this and fuck like bunnies.” 

“Already done that, but I would not mind an island vacation.” You replied, not missing a beat and noticing how Steve coughed awkwardly.

As passionate and kinky he was behind closed doors, Steve was equally awkward in front of the others and you made it a personal mission of yours to make him much more verbally confident in these matters. Till then, you would enjoy mercilessly teasing him about it and getting a rise out of him. 

Steve was also promising himself to slowly make you more comfortable with affection. He knew you had been trained to not crave things like contact and intimacy, but he wanted you to break out of that shell and get used to platonic affection as well. While he knew you were not like most girls when it came to romance, he wanted to cuddle with you and just be near you. 

He caught your gaze from across the table and when you sent him a smile, he felt his heart ache with love for you. It may have been too soon but Steve knew you were the one for him, the one he could spend the rest of his life with. He kept this thought to himself, content with leaning back in his chair and watching you interact with Natasha and Wanda, seeing the way your eyes sparkled at the jokes they made, your lips curving upwards when they talked about you both. 

Once dinner was over, Tony suggested that the team watch a film together instead of heading back to their rooms and everyone agreed, making their way to the lounge. Tony started to mess with the enormous television set as everyone took their seats. Steve hung back, not wanting to assume you would sit with him but you surprised him, hand lacing his as you gently led him to the couch. He sat down, not hiding his surprised smile and you curled up next to him, hesitating for a moment before resting your head against his shoulder. It may have seemed like a small gesture to an outsider, but Steve knew how big a thing it was for you to relax with anyone. He kissed the top of your head and leaned back comfortably as the opening credits started to play. 

Halfway through the movie, Steve glanced down to meet your eyes. You had found the rom-com too tedious and had instead started to watch Steve. Not even slightly bothered that you had been caught, you continued to meet his steady gaze. You could tell he was tired, and as he tried to conceal a yawn, you rolled your eyes slightly before springing up from the couch. “Come on.” You whispered, starting to walk towards the elevator after wishing everyone a good night, turning to see Steve on your heels.

“You are tired.” You stated, about to press the button for Steve’s floor when he caught your hand. 

Instead he pressed the button to yours, not letting go of your hand and bringing it up to his lips for a kiss. You smiled internally; never having felt so loved and as the elevator dinged you let Steve lead you towards your room again. When he opened the door, he let out a low chuckle at the state of the room. The sheets were scattered, one pillow in the middle of the floor, the air thick with the smell of sex. He turned to you with a sheepish smile and you snapped your fingers, your room returning to its immaculate state. 

You could tell Steve did not want to leave you and so you gestured towards the bed, sitting down with your back against the headboard and legs crossed, patting to your side. He jumped at your invitation, coming to sit down next to you before placing his legs on your bed to get more comfortable. “What’s on your mind?” You asked.

Steve looked at you, surprised that you had caught his worry immediately. It was like you could read him so easily, while he had a more difficult time reading you. “I’m just thinking about how we got here. I never really apologised for what I did back in the Hydra mission. It was selfish and unbefitting a captain.” 

“It was, but I’d like to assume whatever you were searching for was important to you, and that somewhat justifies your actions. I’d rather you apologise for throwing your shield at my head.” You replied, tone teasing as you watched Steve blush. 

“That was me being stupid. God, I was terrible with you wasn’t I?” He groaned, burying his face into a pillow. 

“Yes you were, but I wasn’t exactly the most understanding either.” You replied, stroking the back of his head as he removed the pillow from his face.

“I’ll make it up to you.” He promised and you smiled.

“You really don’t have to, but if you are feeling generous, my birthday is coming soon enough.” You teased and Steve looked at you with interest.

“When is it?” 

“24 September. I’ll be turning twenty two.” You said, only to feel Steve stiffen up at your side.

“Twenty two?” he asked, his voice low.

“Is there a problem?” 

“You’re so young.”

“Really? Technically I’m more mature than half the people on this team. And besides, I’m into older men, so don’t worry your pretty head over this.” You replied, seeing Steve smile at your words despite his worry. 

You shifted so you were lying down on your bed now, Steve next to you and you both gazed up at your ceiling. Wanting to make sure he was okay, your hand found his and you starting stroking its surface gently, feeling Steve start to relax besides you. 

Suddenly he started to laugh and you turned to your side, propping yourself up with your elbow to face him, a curious eyebrow raised at his actions. He kept laughing, tears coming out his eyes till he managed to choke out, “Sharon’s going to burst a vein when she finds out.”

This made you smile slowly before you started to laugh with him, picturing the blonde’s horrified expression when she learned about the two of you. The two of you lay there giggling till Steve got up, yawning and stretching. Kissing the top of your head, he made to walk towards the door and you did not ask him to stay. 

“Goodnight.” He called out, standing by the doorway and you sent him a blissed out smile.

He closed the door gently, practically floating back to the elevator and into his room. He glanced at his safe, knowing the Hydra file was inside and he was surprised when he did not feel the need to go through it. He felt content already. That night, you both slept with huge smiles plastered on your faces, ready for this new chapter in your lives and glad they had finally converged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoyed the chapter, this was my first time writing smut and I think I did okay for a girl with no talent heheh. Please let me know what you thought of it in the comments below, and I would love constructive criticism on how to improve my smut writing because I am a beginner. 
> 
> As for the Star Wars thing- I have a deep love for Armitage Hux fics and I feel like there are not enough in the world, I will probably be writing something (mostly for myself) and I was wondering if you all would like for me to upload it and have me turn it into a reader insert story. Lemme know thankyou!
> 
> Anyhoo, I love all of you so much and your comments and kudos make my day. For all of those celebrating, Eid Mubarak in advance! See you next update lovelies!


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I know it took me a while to update but I'll be honest. My mental health was in absolute shambles as it is, and after hearing about the incident that took place in the USA (Rest in peace George Floyd) I was deeply disturbed and disgusted and could not bring myself to write for a while. Once it got better, I hit a rut with this chapter and started working on an outline for a new story, which is up now as well because I need multiple distractions from the state of the world. I hope you all are staying safe, especially my readers in the USA, I hope you are protesting and standing up for what's right.   
Anyhoo, I love all of you a lot and I hope you are all healthy and happy.   
Enjoy!

Mirta had been right. Your dreams had been right. The concept of having Steve as your potential soul mate had seemed daunting when you had first heard it, but now you knew it was true. It made perfect sense. Everything with him felt effortless and he understood you. Yesterday's events kept you smiling and you were thankful he finally approached you. You had always judged the women who would gush over their partners, never seeing yourself as the type to be in a relationship but here you were, and now you felt like doing exactly what those women did. He was perfect.

Sitting up on your bed, you debated on whether you should tell Steve that he was supposed to be Făt-Frumos. It was too soon and you did not want to overwhelm him with this information at the very start of your relationship but at the same time, you knew he deserved to be aware of the truth. If only you could talk to Natasha about this. It did not help that you were still ambivalent about your own status as the heir of Ileana. Your doubts still lingered, permeating your mind constantly. How could you ever live up to her legacy? She had been the embodiment of good while you were anything but. It was even more annoying that Steve fit perfectly into Făt-Frumos’ stereotype of the just and righteous hero. It seemed like you were the wrong link in this whole prophecy despite the fact that it was based on you. 

Getting out of bed, you rushed to the shower, needing to clear your head. You could not let all these doubts and worries get in the way of your new start with Steve, it was something you had been wanting for so long and you were not going to let anything sabotage it, including yourself. Once you were done showering, you changed into a pleated maroon skirt that ended at your thighs, a full sleeved tight black sweater and matching black fishnets. Brushing your hair and tying it up, you decided to go visit Sam in the medical bay. 

Slipping on a pair of ballet flats you headed to the elevator, humming to yourself lightly as you got on. The elevator stopped on another floor and you saw Wanda walk in. You sent her a beaming smile and she returned it. “Aren’t you coming to breakfast?” She asked when she saw you press the button for the medical wing. 

“I was thinking of visiting Sam. I’ll join you all a bit later.” You replied, getting off and sending her a small wave. 

Walking in with purpose, you were hit with the smell of disinfectant, reminding you of the time you had been tested at the Compound. Pushing away such thoughts, you asked one of the assistants where Sam was. Rushing to the room, you stepped inside, preparing yourself for the worst, but sighed in relief when you saw him looking healthy. He was still asleep, and you asked the nurse in the room about his health. She informed you that he was perfectly fine, and should be waking up soon, stepping out to leave you alone. 

You glanced around the room, not bothering to hide your distaste at the dull decor. Snapping your fingers, you made a vase appear which you placed on the small table next to Sam’s bed. Wanting to test out something, you covered the vase with your palm, shutting your eyes and envisioning flowers. Opening them and stepping away, you saw stalks rise up from the vase and buds start to grow slowly. You watched with fascination as the buds opened up into beautiful peonies, their smell starting to fill the room and you smiled. It was oddly calming to use your magic for something so innocent, to use it how Ileana would. It made you feel closer to her. Pulling up a chair, you sat down next to the hospital bed and gazed at Sam, sighing deeply. 

He had been through so much with Hydra and had missed so much while he had been unconscious. You were no stranger to Hydra’s torture tactics, the Red Room had always tried to emulate and beat them in terms of brutality. Sam had suffered and there was no way in hell you were going to let the ones who hurt him walk free. There would be a reckoning, that was certain. It worried you that he had not woken up yet and while you knew Tony’s team was full of professionals who were doing their best to make sure Sam was fixed up, you decided a small investigation on your part would not hurt anyone. Taking Sam’s hand, you focused your magic and started to feel Sam’s energy. Everything was fine; the last traces of the drugs about to leave his system and you gave it a small push, making a bit of your magic flow into his bloodstream to quicken the process. 

The door opened as you were about to let go of Sam’s hand and your head snapped in the direction of the door, already on the defensive. You relaxed considerably when you saw it was Steve, holding a plate full of fruit. He sent you a large smile and you upturned the corner of your mouth. Pulling up a chair right next to you, he handed you the plate and said, “I brought you breakfast.”

Accepting it gratefully, you reminded, “You didn’t have to.”

“I wanted to.”

His easy going tone made you want to smile, which you hid by biting into a slice of kiwi. As you continued to eat the vast array of fruit Steve had brought for you, a quick glance in the super soldier’s direction showed you that he was watching you with an attentive smile. You raised a questioning eyebrow; a small smirk forming as Steve looked flustered at being caught, changing the direction of his admiring stare to Sam and asking, “How is he?”

“He should be waking up soon. I checked myself and everything is perfect.” You responded, placing the now almost empty plate of fruit away on the table and turning to face Steve. 

Steve nodded and you watched the concerned look he sent Sam’s way. You knew he was worried about his friend and you wanted to make him feel better so you reached out for his hand that rested against his knee, covering it with yours and starting to stroke the surface gently with your thumb. He turned to you, first glancing down at your joined hands then up to meet your gaze. You smiled comfortingly at him and he returned it before starting to take in your appearance. Eyes raking over your figure, Steve groaned internally. Your short skirts would be the death of him and it looked like you had figured out his weakness of seeing you in any form of sheer leggings, deciding to exploit it to the fullest. 

“My eyes are up here Captain.” You said, your tone having a teasing lilt.

“I know sweetheart, I was admiring your legs.” He replied, not missing a beat and you felt your heart flutter slightly at his endearment. 

“Do you want to go somewhere today?” He asked suddenly, tearing his gaze away from your legs to meet your eyes. 

“What did you have in mind?” You asked slowly, still a bit hesitant about the whole process of a date since you had never been on one. 

“I was thinking we could get a bite to eat, maybe go to the park?” He suggested, tone hopeful. 

His eyes searched your face to get an inkling of your response, but you were deep in thought, eyes clouded over slightly. This worried him and as the seconds passed without your response, Steve hurriedly added, “It’s okay if you don’t want to, it was probably not a good idea anyways.”

His suggestion had sent you into a whirlpool of thoughts, strange doubts plaguing your mind. What if you did something stupid during the date and ended up antagonizing him? What if you both were not compatible outside the bedroom? What if he realised you were not right for him? These were thoughts you had never had to deal with before and being hit with them left you worried. Glancing up and seeing Steve’s worried expression, you realised you had not given him an answer. The concern in his eyes was enough to comfort you; this man cared too much about you and your opinion to ever hurt you. Besides, you had dealt with death; a date should be simple enough. Confidence raised, you squeezed his hand lightly and replied sincerely, “No, it sounds perfect. I would love to.”

He beamed at you, glad that you had agreed. Leaning forward, he watched you shift, capturing his lips with a kiss. His hands started to cradle your face and you were about to shift from your seat onto his lap when you heard a voice say, “Well fuck me. I must be dead.”

Springing apart, you both turned to see Sam smiling at you two, looking tired but happy. Unable to help it, you let out an excited laugh, hugging Sam tightly. “Never mind, I’m still alive. Take it easy there; I’m still a wounded man.” He replied, wincing at your tight grip. 

You pulled away, smiling sheepishly and Steve got up to clap Sam on the back before asking, “How are you feeling?”

“I’m fine, it’s not important. I’m more interested in knowing what just happened between you two. How many years have I been out?” Sam joked, sending you a boyish grin. 

Leaning back in your chair, you looked at Steve with a raised eyebrow, signalling that he should answer. Steve in turn grinned sheepishly, scratching the back of his head before saying, “You see, we came to rescue you and it somehow ended with her attempting to sacrifice herself to save my life. We crash landed in Romania of all places, and she found out about her past. In the end, I realised I had fallen for her as soon as I saw her, and I just had to tell her. And here we are.”

Steve’s words made you smile, his expression earnest and his tone sincere. Sam looked overjoyed at this revelation, turning to you for confirmation and you nodded your head. “I knew it from the start too. The day he saw you and got flustered, I knew something would happen.” Sam stated, poking Steve’s side playfully. 

Steve was about to reply when the nurse walked in, surprised at seeing Sam awake and stating they needed to run tests on him. You got up, taking this as your cue to leave. Promising Sam you would come see him again tomorrow if he was not released; you walked out, Steve on your heels. Heading to the elevator, you leaned against the wall as Steve stepped in saying, “We can leave now, I just need to get ready.” 

Nodding, you watched him press the button for his floor, about to head up to the living room to wait for him when he caught hold of your hand, shaking his head lightly. The elevator beeped and he led you out onto his floor. And by floor, you really meant floor. Tony had given him the whole space. The elevator opened up into a small version of the upstairs living room, with a few couches and a tv setup that looked practically unused. Walking further, Steve took a turn to the right and you saw his bedroom. The layout matched yours with the floor to ceiling windows and minimal decorations, but was much larger. It still looked more lived in, with a few of Steve’s trinkets lying around to give it a feeling of home. “Let me just change, you’re free to explore. My study’s on the other side.” Steve stated, rushing to his closet and rummaging through it. 

Deciding to explore at a later date, you walked up to the desk in his room, eyes on his leather bound journal. Opening it, you skipped past the sketches you had seen already, pausing on the one that was of the New York skyline. It was dated to just days before you had joined the Avengers, and you had not been able to see the rest of the sketches in the Compound. Flipping the page, you froze when you saw your eyes staring up at you from the pages, date on the corner of the page of the day you had arrived. 

He had drawn you, and it surprised you. You kept flipping through the journal, seeing the sketches of your eyes transform into full paintings of your face, then ones of you dancing in the compound training room. There were some of you sitting in the lawn; one was drawn in a way that looked like you were smiling towards the artist. The last was the one that made a chill run up your spine. It was of you in a white linen dress, standing in your field of flowers, the crown in your hair and arms reaching out for someone, looking like a replica of your dream. It was dated for the night before the Hydra mission. How did Steve know to draw this? When did he get the time? 

When the shock of it wore off, you realised that this was probably why Steve snatched away the journal from you, not wanting you to see that all his recent sketches were of you. You were now smiling; heart soaring at the fact that he cared so much that he had been drawing you for so long. You turned, to see him step out of the bathroom, fixing the last button of his shirt. He was now in a dark pair of jeans, with a navy dress shirt tucked into his jeans, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows and he looked delectable. He looked up to see you beaming at him, journal in hand. Gently placing it back on the desk, you walked to Steve and reached out for him. 

Hand resting on his face, your thumb stroked his cheekbone affectionately as you kept smiling at him, hoping this gesture would convey all the love you were feeling for him right now. His hand covered yours, stroking its surface gently as his eyes mirrored the love you felt. Steve knew you had seen the drawings and he was enjoying this moment of pure affection, feeling adored. You kissed him lightly, smiling against his lips before pulling away and whispering, “You are perfect.”

He was about to protest at this statement when your finger covered his lips gently as you said, “Shh. Take the compliment Captain.”

He nodded and you pulled away saying, “I’m waiting for my date.

“Do you need time to get ready?” He asked.

Shaking your head, you pulled your hair down, ruffling through it as it cascaded down. “Ready.” You called out, deciding to skip makeup since your face already looked flawless. 

Steve watched you with a small smile as you left the room. Locating his phone, he sent a hasty text to Tony, letting him know that you both would be out for the day. Deciding not to take his phone along with him, he pocketed his wallet and exited the room. You were waiting for him by the elevator, pressing the button when you saw him appear. By the time he reached you, you had stepped into the elevator. As you pressed the button for the ground floor, Steve asked, “Would you rather we take my bike or walk?”

“I don’t mind either way, but I’m assuming parking would be a hassle.” You responded and Steve agreed. 

Stepping off the elevator, you avoided the stares of the employees, walking towards the door as Steve tried to keep up with your quick pace. Once you were out on the road you turned to face him, focusing for a second before blowing gently over him and then yourself. He raised a questioning eyebrow at this and you explained, “So we don’t get recognised. Now come on Captain, give me a tour.”

Nodding, he linked his arm into yours, starting to walk and talk about his favourite spots. Looking down at your linked arms, you smiled slightly at the fact that Steve took initiative and you listened to him attentively. It was late afternoon already, people were bustling about everywhere and you took a moment to observe them like you did when you had gone out with Wanda and Natasha. They still seemed to be scurrying around purposelessly, but your eyes rested on a couple kissing each other and giggling. They looked like they were in their mid-teens, high on youth and the feeling of invincibility. While you would have curled your lip in distaste on a regular day at the overt display of affection, you found yourself smiling. Steve looked down to you when he felt you were not listening anymore, following your line of vision and smiling himself. 

You looked up at him, shrugging when he raised an eyebrow and pulling him forward. He continued to talk and you internally sighed with relief, glad your lens to view the world seemed less indifferent than before. Wondering whether it was because of your new relationship with Steve, the honeymoon phase making the world seem perfect and lovely, or because of your status as Ileana’s heir. You were the supposed to heal the world; it would make sense for you to stir up some compassion for its inhabitants. 

“We could either sit in someplace to eat, or grab the food and find a secluded spot in the park. What do you say?” He asked all of a sudden.

Thinking it over, you replied, “While they both sound wonderful, I haven’t actually ever been on a date before, so I have no preferences. Surprise me Captain.” You replied and your words made Steve pause. 

Turning to him in surprise, you were about to ask why he stopped walking when he asked softly, “This is your first date?”

You nodded, stepping closer to him and he continued, “I should have known and taken you out somewhere fancy for it to be memorable. I-”

Before he could finish, you interrupted him by pecking his lips, pulling away and murmuring, “The fact that you thought of that is enough for me Steve. I’m going out on a date with Captain America, it’s already memorable.”

He smiled at your words, nodding and kissing the top of your head, lacing his hand in yours and starting to walk again. “There’s this lovely place at the corner of the street, it serves the best dessert I’ve ever had.” 

Nodding at his words, you followed him to the place he was talking about. It was relatively small in size, you could see a few tables outside and a handful inside and it was thankfully not crowded. The interiors looked very cottage-like, with a lot of plants and Steve led you inside, the bell ringing as he opened the door for you. Finding a small table tucked away in the corner next to the window, Steve grabbed two menus from the counter. Taking a seat across him, you took a menu he placed onto the table as he slipped into his seat. “I always grab a seat here. It gives me a view of the street and I just sit watching the world go by. It gets overwhelming keeping up sometimes and this is one of my go -to comfort activities.”

You smiled as he spoke, his tone wistful and you put down the menu before saying, “I somewhat understand what you mean. Of course, for you it was jumping into a completely different era and the disparity was massive, mine is minimal compared to yours. But I feel out of place so often. You saw how I lived back home, being taken out from that environment and being shoved into a world of guns, blood and violence was hard enough to adjust to, but then being pulled out of it and into the real world seems even harder. I didn’t get to experience any sort of outside culture in the Room, and seeing the way society works now is odd. My missions were brief too, two weeks at most but now knowing I have my whole life ahead of me like this is a bit overwhelming.”

You surprised both Steve and yourself with how much you revealed, but you felt better after doing so. It was comforting having someone who could understand what you were feeling, albeit from completely different circumstances. Steve was thinking the same thing, and he reached out, covering your hand with his and squeezing it lightly, causing you to look up at him. “I know it’s difficult, but you’ve adjusted better than I ever did. As for the rest of the way, I promise to be there for the journey.” He said sincerely, and you smiled. 

You would have liked to continue staring into his eyes, when someone cleared their throat at your side. Turning, you saw a waiter standing there looking absolutely disgusted with his life, eyes not leaving his notepad. “Your order?” He asked.

“Actually, we’d like a few more minutes.” Steve said, prompting the waiter to look up. 

From his actions, you could tell the waiter was about to snap at Steve, starting to speak in a saccharine tone, “Sir, you’ve been here for a while now and if you aren’t going to order then-”

The waiter paused to glance at you, words freezing in his mouth when he took you in. You could see he was getting flustered and you tilted your head at him, pretending to be unaware of his ogling. He coughed awkwardly, clearing his throat and smoothing his shirt before continuing, “-It’s fine. You guys can take your time, I’ll wait here.”

You wanted to laugh at his change of attitude but you controlled yourself, skimming through the menu instead. The dishes all looked appealing, but you decided on tomato soup in a bread bowl. You waited for Steve to order his dish, fettuccine pasta, before you stated yours. The waiter nodded, smiling at you and you handed him the menu. He stood there for a second and you could tell he wanted to say something, but you turned your attention back to Steve. This made the waiter realise he was still standing there and you saw him walk away from the corner of your eye. 

Steve started to talk about his childhood and you leaned forward in your seat, always loving when he told you about his past. He was so funny and he kept making you smile despite you wanting to keep a neutral front in public. The conversation naturally shifted to different topics, Steve and you discussing work and life in the Tower. Once the food arrived, you both fell into a comfortable silence, enjoying each other’s company. You finished before Steve, resting your elbow on the table and placing your chin on your hand, content to watch him as he ate. He did not notice you admiring him and you preferred it that way. Once he was finished, the waiter was on your table instantly, clearing the plates and placing the dessert menu in front of you. “I recommend the cheesecake, you’d love it.” The waiter said to you, flashing you a grin that made you want to hurl. 

“I’m not really a dessert person, Steve why don’t you take this one?” You replied, watching the waiter’s face fall before he turned to Steve. 

Steve ordered a slice of chocolate cake for you both to share and as you took the first experimental bite, you found yourself smiling. It was rich, not too sweet or too moist and you complimented Steve for his taste. He let you take the last bite and you smiled, feeling content. The waiter reappeared seconds after you finished, bill in hand. Without a word, Steve took out his wallet and started to place the bills onto the tray when you insisted, “I can pay.”

“I know, but I want to.”

You did not argue further, smiling slightly. When you felt the waiter’s eyes on you, you turned to face him, raising an eyebrow at him. Realising you were paying attention to him, he stood up straighter, slicking back his hair before saying, “Could I get your number?”

Controlling yourself so you would not burst out laughing, you shook your head and said, “I do not think my boyfriend would like that very much.”

Luckily, Steve was done paying and you both slid out of your seats. Wrapping his hand in yours, you walked out with him. Once you were outside, you looked up at Steve and as soon as you made eye contact, you both started laughing. “Oh my god that was so uncomfortable.” You wheezed. 

“I’m pretty sure you just broke that man’s heart, I feel bad for him.”

“Hmm. Would you rather I go on a date with him?” You teased.

He rolled his eyes at your words, pulling you closer and starting to walk down the street. Seeing as you both were near Central Park, you decided to take a stroll. Walking hand in hand, you observed the people there. You could see adults jogging, people walking their dogs and kids frolicking. Looking up at Steve, you saw he was watching the kids play too, a smile on his face. Of course he was the fatherly type, of course he loved kids. You did not doubt that he would make a wonderful parent one day, but you kept this thought to yourself. 

As you walked through the park, you saw how it was getting a bit late. You were about to tell Steve, when something caught your eye. There were lines of horse carriages, with people getting on for a ride. You looked at the scene for a second before turning away, but a second was enough for Steve. Leading you towards the carriages, he just threw you a smile when you asked for an explanation. Nodding at one of the drivers, he walked up to the carriage, holding out his hand for you to take and helped you up. Once you were seated, you could not help but smile uncontrollably at the gesture; he noticed your subtle want and immediately fulfilled it. Steve slid in next to you and you kissed his cheek. This caused him to turn and face you, and you took the opportunity to properly kiss him. Pulling away slightly, you murmured your thanks to him. Resting your head against his shoulder, you relaxed and let yourself enjoy this moment, feeling absolute bliss and peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked the chapter, hopefully I'll have the next one out much sooner and it'll be much longer, we are finally entering the second phase of this story, I hope you all are ready. Your comments and kudos make my day!   
See you lovelies next update!


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